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Lost & Found (Hosie)

Summary:

Hope is sent to Scotland, after an unfortunate event, to attend the Salvatore Boarding School.

In a nutshell, you can expect to find a hint of mystery, a pinch of drama, a dash of kidnapping, arson and murder, and a whole lot of sexual tension.

Sneak Peek;
She was thinking of a way to start the conversation again when she felt her body lean in towards auburn hair and forehead met forehead in a striking haze. What was she doing? What was happening exactly? Blue eyes pierced into brown, and it was like time stopped.

A rapid spike in heartbeats took over and Josie stopped thinking. She was about to close the distance, chasing wild red lips…

Chapter 1: Loss After Loss

Chapter Text

New Orleans:

 

“It’s not fair. You're asking me to drop everything and move to a different school, to a different country, and you expect me to be fine with it”.

 

Hope has been scratching her head all week over this pivotal decision that her aunts took without even consulting her.

 

Did her opinion hold so little value in the scheme of things?

 

“We're not asking you to be fine with it, honey. We love you and we have extensively thought this through. After everything that has happened here, we really think it’s the best idea we could come up with."

 

"Why is that exactly?"

 

"You know exactly why… You need a change of scenery, love. You need to step out of your shell and push these horizons that you have always been bounded to.”

 

“So let me get this straight: you think throwing me in a completely new world, where I know absolutely no one, is the answer to all the loss that I have been feeling… You … You really think taking even more from me is the solution?”

 

“You do know Caroline, Hope. And she promised us she will help you settle in. So we're not throwing you in a wolf’s den. I'm sorry you feel ambushed but trust me, that wasn't our intention… We just want what's best for you, even if we're not currently seeing eye to eye…"

 

"In what world do you get to decide what's best for me without consulting me?"

 

"Look… We just want you to feel something! Anything really…” says Freya hesitantly, her eyes glued to the floor.

 

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“Well, awesome then! Because I'm definitely feeling a lot right now… Mission accomplished!” smirks a fuming Hope.

 

“Honey, listen, we're not trying to overwhelm you. I can promise you that looking out for you is the first thing on our minds and as silly as it sounds, I just think that sometimes you need to lose yourself before finding yourself,” Intervenes Keelin.

 

“Well, I can tell you that I'm definitely losing it right now, so good job planning this out!” shouts Hope before slamming the door and burying her face in her pillow.

 

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AGH! Why does everyone think they have her all figured out... When she doesn't even know what the hell she's feeling? 

 

Might as well sleep. It’s not like she has anything important to do before she is shipped to another galaxy.

 

Hope kept tossing and turning all night. Images of the fire were haunting her dreams. She couldn’t forget the looks on their faces, a look which had taken its rightful place on the throne of her misery.

These sombre glares were slowly devouring her, consuming her thoughts and mind. She couldn’t figure out back then if these gazes were mixed with anger, shock, disappointment, or just utter sadness. Maybe it was even worse.

Maybe it was a look of realization and recognition; maybe they knew that sooner or later, she was heading down that path, that sooner or later, she was going to end up on the other side of the shovel: getting buried… Instead of burying loss after Loss.

Keelin wasn’t so right after all. She had lost herself this summer, utterly and completely lost herself, only to find nothing in return. 

She lost herself after losing everything else and never found anything, least of all herself.

 

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Scotland:

 

“Oh, come on, Lizzie! It’s not that big of a deal. Throw caution to the wind every once in a while; it’s not like you had anything important to do. Besides, it’s only going to take an hour or so”.

 

Josie rolls her eyes. The brunette already knew her sister was a sucker for drama, but her current reaction was taking it to a whole new level.

 

“Well, you haven’t been roped into supervising EL-DIABLO, so your opinion means squat. Wait…WAIT, what do you mean I had nothing important to do? READ MY LIPS - LAUNCH PARTY. I need to pick an outfit that will blow everyone’s mind” answers Lizzie in the most earnest of tones.

 

It felt like her life depended on this outfit choice, and Josie was progressively regretting this little altercation…

 

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“If it means that much to you, we can swap places. You can oversee the decorations, and I will show Hope around. I'm sure she's not that bad,” retorts Josie.

 

“Are you serious? Do you really think so? Her parents kicked her out of the US and sent her to another continent before her senior year. Would you abandon your child if they weren’t psychotic?? She probably overdosed on a cocktail of pills and drugs before they decided to ship her over here”.

Lizzie is gasping at this point and is fairly sure her sister is delusional.

 

“Girls, save your breaths. NO ONE is swapping places with anyone. Josie, the decoration committee, is waiting for you; please let me know when everything is ready. Lizzie, you're not getting out of this, so suck it up and deal with it. I promised Freya that we would help Hope settle in, and you're going to do that with a grin on your face, or your sister can enjoy the launch party without you,” scoffs Caroline through the door.

 

The girls wonder how much of their conversation their mother heard.

 

They know they're not supposed to discuss the circumstances of the transfer with anyone. Their mom strictly forbade that.

 

Well, there wasn’t anyone else in the room per se, and they don’t know the specifics, but they certainly won’t be off the hook that easily if she happened to catch their heated dialogue.

 

The only thing they do know in any case is that something bad happened before Hope Mikealson was sent here.

 

Okay, to be fair, their mom didn’t actually use the word “bad”; she used the word “unfortunate”, but let’s be honest here, “tomayto, tomahto”.

 

If she manages to hear anything, Caroline refrains from mentioning it. She does, however, usher Josie and Lizzie out.

 

“FINE!” surrenders Lizzie. “She'd better not have any questions after the tour, though; there is only so much I can take”.

 

“You will tend to her every need, and you will not mention what I told you in confidence… Now go and stop wasting both of our time. And when you get back, check your closet; there's a new outfit for you there that I think you might like,” adds Caroline with a smile.

 

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“Honestly, mom, you should have just started with that. Would have saved yourself a lot of trouble! Love Ya!!" screams Lizzie before running outside to do her good deed.

 

She will definitely mention it later to Rafael. I mean, HELPING A FELLOW STUDENT IN NEED: she's so DAMN SELFLESS sometimes! That has to earn her a few extra points…

 

Now that she thinks about it: she did overhear Rafael saying that he likes volunteering in the soup kitchen on weekends. In all honesty, she never ever did that and was 100% sure she would never ever do it either.

 

But look at her now: helping lost souls. This should be at least a close second to the soup kitchen deed and something she could get on board with (WITH THE RIGHT INCENTIVE, OF COURSE).

 

I mean, she did agree to help a psychotic American in Scotland, which is by definition the embodiment of guiding a lost lamb. How selfless of her!!

 

I guess it's true that not all hot superheroes wear capes.

 

ALTHOUGH LET’S FACE IT, NO ONE, NOT EVEN LIZZIE SALTZMAN, CAN PULL OFF A CAPE…

 

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Source: https://decider.com/2020/01/16/legacies-season-2-episode-9-crisis-on-infinite-earths/

Chapter 2: Odd Encounters

Chapter Text

Lizzie finds a short auburn-haired girl at the school’s gate waving her phone left and right.

She was jumping, hopping, skipping, and prancing around like an idiot.

 

Oh my god! It’s worse than she thought. This lunatic was trying to find cell reception here. I mean, we are in the middle of nowhere.

Did she really think cell signal was included in the educational package?  She must not have read the brochure.

 

I mean, even if there was a nearby tower, she was what like 5 feet : probably too short to reach the signal anyway.

Ambitious Girl. Stupid but ambitious nonetheless…

 

Should she let her make a fool out of herself, or just intervene and put the goblin out of its misery? The blond girl decides to do the sensible and reasonable thing.

 

 

 

 

She takes her phone out and starts filming the scene in front of her. Who knows? She might need some blackmail material in the future if this psycho turns out to be a threat. I mean, it wasn’t even raining when Noah built the arc.

 

“I don’t know what exactly is happening in that brain of yours, but I doubt that your little crazy act is due to jet lag”, smirks Lizzy after hiding her phone in her pocket.

 

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“Very funny. Not that I need to explain anything to you, but I am trying to call a cab,” answers Hope in a rush. She really didn’t think they would send a chaperone to pick her up. She is 17, for God’s sake. What’s next? An ankle monitor, perhaps? That would be quite the accessory.

 

“Yeah, good luck with that. Now, unless you want to sleep outside under the rain: I suggest you follow me inside so I could show you around,” Interjects Lizzie before turning around and heading in.

 

The tall girl is practically sliding towards the school at a record speed. It seems her misguided plan is to say that she lost the new student in her haste: a believable yet unplanned accident.

 

Source: https://64.media.tumblr.com/1d9108bd539980ee5d8ac30a0bda9c03/tumblr_poeuoa1tN71u8aa81o2_400.gifv

 

 

Unfortunately, when Lizzie reaches the doors, Hope is right behind her. Who would have thought that this tiny creature was so fast? Then again, mice are fast and dubious.

Ditching her is not an option anymore.

 

“Okay, well, let’s start. Welcome to our humble school. This establishment was built in the 1940s by none other than…” Lizzie is practically screaming (probably hoping she would run into Rafael at this point).

 

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Dammit, she should have taken her mom’s megaphone: that would have certainly made an impression.

 

“Look, Lucy, let’s skip the intros. Just take me to my room. I have no desire to be pranced around by you, and I'm sure you have some beauty pageant to go to. So, save us both the trouble and cut this trip short”. Hope is feeling a huge headache taking over, and the last thing she needs is listening to a rehearsed speech from Barbie.

 

“LUCY?? RUDE. No, you listen. I got instructions to show a Hope Andre Mickealson around the school, and I'm doing that even if I have to drag you around by your hair” Lizzie is fuming. “Besides, if you behave, I promise to show you all the good spots for cell reception”, grins Lizzie before winking at Hope.

 

This girl can go from rage to blackmail in a fleeting second… Pretty scary.

 

Hope musters up as much energy as possible and sends a bogus smile toward Lizzie. It is going to be a long day, and this she-devil is certainly not making it easy to blend in unnoticed.

 

Lizzie shows her the dining hall, the music room, the classes, the library, the teacher lounge (for some odd reason), the headmaster’s office, and then ushers her to the end of the hall to a secluded room.

 

“… And this stinky place is uncharted territory. I personally do not ever want to go in there, but feel free to check it out if you want to”.

 

Hope opens the door to throw a glance around, and a smile takes over her face.

 

A HUGE GYM steals her eyesight.

 

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A set of boxing gear, sandbags, and weights rein her in. She does admit to herself that both the gym and the library here are humongous and that, all things considered, this place didn’t feel so bad any more.

 

Piercing her line of sight, two tanned men exit the gym while eyeing her curiously. One of them is tall and has brown eyes that just penetrate your soul, and the other is a bit shorter and has nice curly hair and a large smile on his face.

 

“Hey, you must be the new girl. My name is Rafael, and this is Milton”. The taller guy waves at Hope.

 

“You can just call me MG. Nice to meet you”.

 

Hope just nods and gives them a hesitant smile. Four people in one day; she has definitely hit her quota for socializing. Someone needs to give her a medal or maybe solitary confinement for a week. Wouldn’t that be a dream?

 

“Hey Raf, what are you doing here?” Intervenes, Lizzie, jumping in front of Hope and shielding her like a smokescreen.

 

She might need to use this video sooner than intended, by the looks of things.

 

That bitch almost stepped on my feet, thinks Hope, before moving away from the scene and sitting on a nearby bench.

She doesn’t really get to hear the conversation flowing but manages to catch MG’s eyes, which are hanging on Lizzie’s every word.

Rafael, on the other hand, seems to be melting in a puddle of disinterest the more Lizzie continues rambling.

How can she be so self-absorbed that she doesn't even notice that he isn’t listening? If she were to give him a pop quiz in a few minutes, my guess is the only thing he would be able to fill in would be his name.

 

Hope was gagging a laugh internally whilst looking at this mess.

1- Lizzie was clearly head over heels for Rafael.

2- MG was obviously swooning for Lizzie, and

3 - Rafael was looking in a whole other direction.

 

Hope quickly turns her head to the other side and watches as a tall brunette passes by, leading an army of students behind her.

 

 

Big brown eyes envelop her senses and surround her being. Who is this girl, and why does she feel familiar? Rafael can’t keep his eyes off her, nor can Hope for that matter.

 

The tall girl ushers to the walls and the floor and is giving instructions for some sort of party.

 

 

Hope can’t help but stare at her long legs as she walks around the corridor in the most elegant yet assertive way.

How can you exert both elegance and assertiveness in just a few steps? She has seen it all now, she thinks.

These alluring long legs suddenly head toward Lizzie, and the adjoining lips of the brunette fall on the blonde’s cheeks.

Are they together? Did I read this all wrong? I thought that Lizzie was crushing on Rafael.

 

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“They are sisters. The headmaster’s daughters, for that matter: Josie and Lizzie,” says a boy next to her, “and I'm Landon. I used to be the new kid last year. Thank you for relieving me from that duty”.

 

Sister? She sighs. She hadn’t realized that she was holding her breath, but once she lets it all out, she feels calmer somehow.

 

“I'm Hope. Hope Mikealson. Glad to be of service,” answers Hope in a tone soaked in sarcasm.

 

“Mmmm, you're definitely not from around here. You have an accent that is familiar, though. I would say American, perhaps”.

 

“Nailed it” Hope looks at him. Curly hair, green eyes that scream honesty. “Would you please take me to the dormitory? The jet lag is taking its toll”.

 

Landon nods and starts walking in the opposite direction.

 

Hope follows him but throws a last glance at the supposed headmaster's daughter, the nicer one she presumes... "JOSIE".

 

A blush creeps up on her cheeks, and she feels slightly embarrassed now that she notices how much she was staring...

 

"Get a grip, Hope, it's just a girl" she tells herself.

 

Source: https://gfycat.com/gifs/search/logoless+josie+saltzman+scenes

Chapter 3: It didn’t mean anything!

Chapter Text

“This is not happening. I don’t know why you’re not willing to listen, but I'm telling you to back off” Josie is panting right now. She was really hoping to skip this conversation.

 

“What do you mean, you want me to back off? Look, I'm sick of this game of cat-and-mouse that we've been playing for the past year. I'm all for the push and pull strategy, but it gets boring after a while, don’t you think?”

 

“I'm trying to move on, Rafael. Let this go… No one forced your hand. You slept with her”

 

“Yes, I know… I fucking remember. It was one moment of weakness. One moment. But Josie… I like you… And only you. I have been chasing you around like a lost puppy for the past year. Doesn’t that count for shit? I can't get you out of my mind, Josie”.

 

“Are you hearing yourself? You chased me? You slept with my sister. MY SISTER. And then you casually tell me that you like me. I don’t know what meds you're on, but I'm not buying it. You and I are never happening, so stop cornering me and pissing me off. This broken record… I don’t want to hear it any more. I'm not hurting my sister, and least of all for a boy that can’t keep it in his pants”.

 

“You weren’t giving me the light of day, Josie. What did you expect? I was drunk and mad. It was just sex, and your sister knew it. It didn’t mean anything!”

 

“… Wow! Great comeback. Maybe it didn't mean anything to you, Rafael, but I can promise you that her virginity meant a lot to her, and you're a huge ass”.

 

Source: https://tenor.com/view/rafael-waithe-josie-saltzman-josie-saltzman1x04-rosie1x04-rafael-x-josie-gif-22949770

 

Josie moves quickly towards the door, trying to ignore the look of hurt in Rafael’s eyes when two pairs of hands hold her by the waist and pull her in.

 

“Tell me you don’t feel anything towards me, that those glances didn’t mean anything… Tell me you don’t feel yourself gravitating towards me every time we're in the same room. Tell me you don’t care, and I will leave”

 

“Maybe I cared… Before… But not anymore, Rafael. Please let me go”.

 

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Josie opens the door only to see her reflection in two pairs of blue eyes draining into her soul.

 

She holds her breath as she takes in this stranger in front of her. A gorgeous stranger at that. Delicate snow skin, soulful blue eyes mirroring oceans every time they blink, pursed red lips, and a frown slowly taking over that beautiful face.

 

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Josie is taken aback, but slowly recovers and pushes this beautiful hurdle gently out of her way.

 

I really hope she's not a blabbermouth she thinks. The last thing she needs, is this conversation getting to Lizzie. What a headache that would be.

 

She loved her sister more than life itself, but she knew very well how Lizzie could be once she lost all control.

Rafael didn’t need to know that it was her sister who asked her not to give in.

“I saw him first” she said, like he was a doll in a toy store, “pick someone else”. And that was it. Josie was convinced.

“Okay, I will be your wing-woman” she found herself saying in spite of her feelings. This scene played non-stop in her head like a sick movie.

 

Rafael didn’t need to know that although she did have feelings for him, she stopped them from drifting; she ignored them and suffocated them until they were but a memory.

Or so she thought. And then Lizzie came in one day, leaping like a bunny. “We made love,” she said, and Josie’s heart just shattered.

All these emotions that she thought she had so easily cast away, wrapped their hands around her heart and squeezed. Clutching her every breath, and then she knew. She knew that she had yet again chosen her sister over her heart.

She had yet again driven the blade into her own heart willingly.

She was only feigning ignorance to hoist her conviction and look where that led her.

Her sister had slept with the guy she liked and was head over heels for him.

The guy she liked used her sister in some revenge plot against her and was still seeking her emotions.

She lied and hid things from Lizzie, and now she is screwed. Utterly and completely screwed.

 

 

“Sorry, we kept you waiting”, said Rafael (if Hope remembers his name correctly). “We were just talking”.

 

“It's none of my business”, says Hope, “and besides, I just got here”.

 

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Rafael nodded and started walking, following Josie’s footsteps.

 

Hope wanted to get some supplies from the art room. After sleeping for a few hours, she felt like she needed an outlet for her overwhelming emotions.

Painting, she thought, would fix things. It was something she used to do with her dad. It had always relaxed her in a way that nothing else did. The last thing she would have expected, though, was to witness a lover quarrel in the art room.

She didn’t really hear what was going on or anything that was said, but she saw the guy wrap his arms around the brunette.

 

Does Lizzie know her sister is dating the guy she likes? That is quite the mess they have nurtured. Whatever. As she told Rafael: it is none of her business. The brunette with pouty lips and endless legs can date whomever she wants to date.

 

The urge to paint was suddenly getting stronger by the second. Hope took the supplies she needed and headed quickly back to her room.

 

When she got there, the curly-haired guy from yesterday stopped her from going in.

 

“Hey, Hope. Uhmmm… It's Landon, uhm from yesterday… I was wondering if you would like to” He scratched his head and went on saying, “…accompany me to the dance. I mean. I know you're new. You probably don’t have a date. I mean a dance partner. Not that you have to dance. We can just have punch. And well. It can get lonely. Maybe you could use a friend? Or perhaps just a dance partner? Okay… I'm not a good dancer, but I can try to learn some moves beforehand on YouTube…”

 

The image of Rafael and Josie abruptly flashed in front of Hope’s navy eyes.

 

“Yeah, sure. Pick me up at 7,” says Hope with a smile on her face.

 

His stuttering was kind of cute, she thought, and at least he was trying… Besides, as he said: she could use a friend.

 

 

Source: https://64.media.tumblr.com/b6b341654103c695253170f076ae7d0c/3dc784dcb2c32f71-35/s540x810/63d714dfa646fd4d48c115b46a69fc3aac732f11.gifv

Chapter 4: No one has ever cared!

Chapter Text

“Pen, she's never going to give me the time of day. It’s like I don’t exist. Like I never existed for that matter. Not that I'm shocked. It’s just depressing. I spend all day just bathing in her eyes… And she doesn’t even look at me. It’s even worse when Rafael is there” says MG with a voice drenched in sadness.

 

“You’re just too available… Maybe you should make her jealous. I can help with that. She would undeniably freak if I got my hands on you” retorts the raven-haired girl.

 

“Yeah, like she would ever notice. That would be a futile attempt, trust me. The only time she does acknowledge me is when I'm reading a comic book. Even though, to be honest, she’s more interested in the title than the guy reading. How depressing. I never thought I would be jealous of a damn comic book”.

 

“Wait… The wicked witch of the west is secretly a comic book geek? Hah, who would have thought? Shocking twist” smirks Penelope.

 

“Not the point, P. Why do I even bother?” Thinks Milton.

 

“Look, I know how Lizzie can be. She’s the reason I broke it off with Josie in the first place. She sucks up all the oxygen as soon as she’s in a room. But if you're into that. Who am I to judge? To each his own, I guess… I will help you. Why don’t you just prepare something special for the twins’ birthday? It's coming up and a sweet 16 is always important. I'm sure she's into the whole fairytale dramatics. You can get her a gift she likes and maybe confess your undying love on a white horse?"

 

"Mmm… I don't think life works like that."

 

"Sooner or later, she will get it in her thick skull that Rafael is not into her, and you'll be there to comfort her. You can ask Josie for some advice. I'm sure she will happily chip in to help her sister get over Mr. broad shoulders”.

 

“Hey! He's not the only one with broad shoulders” says MG in a haze.

 

“Yeah, whatever you say Casanova” sneers Penelope before asking about MG’s parents, “Are they coming to the party?”.

 

“Yeah, right, like the Senator would come anywhere near me. How can I be mad at Lizzie for not noticing me, if my own parents don’t even notice me?" MG's voice is painfully breaking, "You’re old enough to understand we have priorities, Milton… We're busy Milton… Improve your grades, Milton… You will be in charge of the company one day, Milton. It's MG, not Milton. I don’t even know if I want to be head of a company. But who cares what I think? No one has ever cared!”

 

Penelope bites her lip and immediately regrets her lack of courtesy. She shouldn’t have asked that.

She knows it's a sore subject.

 

She just wanted to move on from Lizzie, her venomous behaviour, and any discussion that dissects that witch’s personality.

 

Lizzie has always hurt the people she loved. She constantly takes everyone’s attention and never gives any back.

 

MG and Josie have always been there, serving the almighty queen with no expectations and no questions whatsoever, and it enrages her.

 

How can a person be this clueless? MG has always been there for her: through all her heartbreaks and all her sorrows. Whenever she needed something, anything, MG was there.

 

Not to mention Josie devoting her life to her sister and living in her shadow for most of her existence.

 

“Don’t say that! I care, and I'm not the only one. Your parents are just assholes. Let’s go get some milkshakes. Strawberry always helps”.

 

Penelope hugs MG before taking his hand and going toward the cafeteria.

 

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Emma’s Office:

 

“Come in, Lizzie”, says Emma.

 

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“Hello, Miss Tig. I’m sorry for barging in like this, but it was kind of an emergency”.

 

“No problem at all. Here, sit down and tell me what’s bothering you”.

 

“I just… "

 

"Don't worry, this is a safe space. Take your time."

 

"Miss Tig… I feel like my episodes are coming back, and I don’t know if I can handle them with everything that's going on”.

 

“What kind of episodes?”

 

“You remember when I used to have these anxiety attacks? I kind of found it hard to breathe, and I" Lizzie was choking on her own words and took a few seconds to calm down "… anyway… they came back”.

 

 

“It's okay, Lizzie. Nothing to be afraid of. I'm glad you came to see me. Do you want to tell me what's happening?"

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"I mean, In your opinion, what's triggering these attacks?"

 

“Well… The other day, the trigonometry teacher gave me my test back and said he was disappointed in me. When I looked down at my grade, I felt like my brain was zooming in on it, and I started losing awareness of my surroundings. I was finding it hard to breathe. Then I felt a soothing hand drawing circles on my palms. I guess it was MG who was sitting next to me at the time. I started remembering the breathing technics you taught me and it kind of helped… But I'm scared. I'm really scared. I thought they had stopped.” a tear was sliding down Lizzie’s cheeks, searing heat on her face with every passing moment.

 

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"Have you told anyone else about these episodes? Sometimes it helps to have someone close by…”

 

“I haven’t told anyone yet. I usually don’t have to. Josie always notices when things are not going well for me. But lately, it's as if she's not there. She hears but doesn’t listen. It’s like she's always somewhere else. Thinking about something else. And I know I have always taken a lot of her time and attention. But I just feel like I really need her. And I don’t know what to do any more. I know people think I am selfish and heartless, and I don’t care what they think. I am just struggling, and I need my sister … I need her, because I don’t think I can do it without her”.

 

“Hey…hey, it’s okay to need people. It’s okay to ask for help, and you did well by coming here and asking for mine. You will get through this, and we will be here for you. If you want, I can call Josie over, and you both can discuss it here. I can help you ease into things. Whatever makes you comfortable. I'm sure Josie has just been under a bit of stress with all the preparations for the launch party. It happens. Give her a chance to be there for you.”

Chapter 5: Ballroom dancing

Chapter Text

“What is this exactly?”

 

“It’s a peace offering sent by your aunts”, says Caroline with a smile before pulling Hope in for a quick hug.

 

Hope nods with wondering eyes that are suddenly slowly taking the dress in.

 

Silk and laces were gradually mingling, crafting waves of lines and patterns, sculpting beautiful chaos that ran through the neckline, bodice, and waistline and kept on fluttering until it pungently reached the hem of the mermaid dress, settling down elegantly and tastefully at the bottom.

It was a sweet dilemma: a mixture of revolution and power.

Hope didn’t know which of the 2 estates spoke more to her, but she knew that the dress had enchanted her. It felt familiar, even. Like something, she vaguely remembered and kind of knew.

 

“It was your mom’s”, adds Caroline hesitantly. “I had the chance to see her in it. She looked beautiful. Hayley was always beautiful…”.

 

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“Yes, she was… Thanks, Caroline,” retorts Hope, “I just… I don’t think it's for me"

 

"Why not?"

 

"I don't think I deserve to wear it…”.

 

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"I don't think there's anyone that deserves it more, Hope. Besides, you're in the Salvatore School now, and here, we believe in second chances".

 

"More like third and fourth… But thanks for the vote of confidence".

 

“Look, Honey, everyone deals with grief in their own way. The important thing is that you find a way to stay afloat. Don’t let the current drag you; as tough as it can get, you can always fight it. And you don’t need to fight it alone.” Caroline stared at Hope delicately before reaching for her hand, “I think you tried to find your own way and I commend you for that. I truly do. But now that you are with us. Let us help. You do not need to fight alone any more” Caroline winks at her and leaves the room.

 

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Hope is eyeing the dress again. She slowly finds herself gravitating more and more in its orbit.

 

A certain warmth takes hold of her, and her mom’s smile sinks into her gaze, “Promise me you will find at least one epic love”.

 

Those were words that were engraved in her mind and heart. The memory had left a bitter-sweet taste in her mouth. It reminded her that she couldn’t even fathom granting her mother’s dying wish.

 

Who would love a cemetery? A coffin? A burial site? Who would love a constant reminder of loss and death?

 

 

 

 

At 7 pm, Hope heard a knock on her door. Green eyes welcomed her, and white pearls peered through a wide smile.

 

“I'm so happy you didn’t change your mind. You look gorgeous, by the way,” says Landon without faltering this time.

 

“Thank you. You don’t look so bad yourself” Hope smiles and takes the arm he had offered her.

 

Having Landon by her side was oddly comforting and soothing. She felt safe somehow, as if she knew he would never hurt her.

 

Landon’s heart was beating recklessly. Hope looked absolutely striking. He had never seen such a mesmerizing sight and was having a hard time believing she had actually accepted his invitation.

 

He was happy yet scared. How was that possible? Never in his life had he felt a fear like this one.

 

He knew what this girl could do to his tiny little heart yet couldn’t quite convince himself to run away from these spellbinding blue eyes.

 

 

 

On the Dance-floor:

 

“Can I have this dance?”

 

"I don't think it's a good idea, Raf."

 

"Come on, just one dance"

 

Brown eyes met their look-alikes on the dance floor and the tall brunette found herself giving her hand away… Only to be interrupted by her blond twin.

 

“I think Rafael has promised me a dance first. Maybe Hope could dance with you instead. Mom said she's an ace in Ballroom dancing. Might help you improve your posture”.

 

Rafael, although clearly annoyed, decided to bite his tongue to refrain from making things worse.

 

Hope abstained from speaking and was dragged to Josie’s side by Lizzie.

 

She was trying to figure out how to get out of this tricky situation, but her stupid brain kept gazing at Josie’s pouty lips… Not the time brain. Not the right time at all to leave me hanging like this.

 

Josie was speechless. She felt uncomfortable but also intrigued.

 

A beautiful predicament settled in her thoughts. This is the legendary Hope, she thought. Blue and red have never intertwined more beautifully.

 

How could a girl be this effortlessly breathtaking? Perfectly drawn lips, deep entrancing eyes, dimples that were barely visible yet piercing, and that body. Oh my, what a body…

 

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https://scarletlunarosa.tumblr.com/post/180893749135/hope-mikaelson-in-mombie-dearest-created-with

 

She should have seen this coming from a mile away. I mean, Lizzie had unintentionally alerted her by starting a fight a few hours ago. She felt bad at first when she heard that her twin was going through something, but then Lizzie’s accusatory tone kind of sent her spiralling.

 

How is it that the one time she was too in her head, the "one time she didn't notice everything" was enough for Lizzie to go on a rampage? Harsh words were thrown, volcanos of venom erupting all around them and burning everything that was in sight. Josie was fed up. She gave and gave and gave… And Lizzie just asked for more.

 

It was never enough.

 

And Josie didn't have anything to give any more. She looked at Lizzie with glazed eyes and stormed out.

 

She knew a storm was brewing and that Lizzie spared no one.

 

She didn't think, however, that her sister would drag Hope into this.

The girl with ethereal features and deep blue eyes seemed downright adrift and confused.

 

Well, no turning back now. She will just have to face the music.

 

Hope slowly closed the distance between them. Her right hand, loosely cupped, reached the brunette and connected with her back on her shoulder blade.

Electricity shot through her and her wrist which was at the junction of Josie's arm and body was radiating addicting warmth.

Palm met palm, and for a second there, both bodies held their breaths like neither needed oxygen.

Hope closed her left fingers around her partner’s hand and was taken aback by the perfect way in which both hands fit together: like 2 sides of the same coin.

 

Why was her brain failing her now? Thank God for muscle memory, she thought.

 

Her body started moving on autopilot, drifting aimlessly but cautiously grasping the brunette, like Hope was terrified to let her go.

 

Hope was leading, and Josie was eternally grateful. Honestly, she doesn’t think she would have been able to swap roles with Hope in the state she was in right now.

 

Not that she was complaining. Dancing with Hope was certainly an unplanned yet memorable surprise.

 

The auburn-haired girl was elegant yet assertive, delicate yet poised. A striking combination, she supposed. One that was pulling on her heartstrings and playing the latter like a majestic harp.

 

A harp that was shaking her senses, hypnotizing her body, and prodding her heart without her permission.

 

“I'm sorry for that. My sister can be quite…” says Josie hesitantly.

 

“Yeah, I had the pleasure of meeting her already… Quite the encounter” intervenes Hope, attempting to lighten the mood.

 

“I'm Josie, by the way. I realize, I didn’t tell you my name the last time we met”.

 

“Yes, you certainly had other things on your mind”, smirks Hope.

 

Josie felt a blush creep up and pink took over her cheeks.

 

Hope didn’t know where she was getting this confidence from, but a certain arrogance that was lodged in her was getting impatient. She wanted to prod and poke and see where all that nudging would lead.

 

“Mm… Yes. I guess I was” Josie didn’t know what to say to that. She bit her lower lip and stared ahead.

 

She was thinking of a way to start the conversation again when she felt her body lean in towards auburn hair and forehead met forehead in a striking haze. What was she doing? What was happening exactly? Blue eyes pierced into brown, and it was like time stopped...

 

A rapid spike in heartbeats took over and Josie stopped thinking. She was about to close the distance, chasing wild red lips… When she was interrupted by surprised blue eyes. Dawdling anger was sipping through Hope’s gaze. W

 

as she repulsed by Josie?

 

No…It was something else. Hope was looking elsewhere.

 

Josie felt a gaze burning holes in her back and turned to see Rafael throwing daggers at Hope.

 

If looks could kill; well, Hope would not be still dancing.

 

Josie felt mortified… She didn’t know what to say. What was he thinking? Did he think she belonged to him somehow?

 

Hope suddenly froze and looked straight into embarrassed brown eyes so deeply that Josie forgot to breathe.

 

They both stopped moving to the rhythm of the music.

 

Reality hit hard.

 

Screenshot-2022-09-03-at-20-30-36

 

“I don’t know what sick game you're playing, but I will not be your pawn. Find someone else to make your boyfriend jealous or to piss off your sister. I don’t want any part in this” Hope’s jaw clenched and her voice broke.

 

She quickly left the dance-floor filled with regrets.

 

How could she be so stupid?

How could she so blindly follow her heart?

S he barely knew the girl, and yet she handed herself on a silver platter.

Well, lesson learned. She will not be played with any more.

Josie Saltzman has clearly never met a Mikealson before, but she's about to find out that they are not to be messed with.

 

 

Source: https://br.pinterest.com/pin/576531189789400399/

Chapter 6: Regrets and Doubts

Chapter Text

Lizzie knew she had crossed a treacherous line when she saw her sister’s dark gaze.

Yes, she was mad and yes, she was hurt.

But that certainly didn’t justify this. She pushed too much, and she knew it.

Other fish were also caught in Josie’s hook, and she was honestly starting to regret the theatrical scene that she had ignited.

 

1 - Hope had left for some unknown reason, probably feeling embarrassed or just cornered.

 

2 - Josie had followed her trail and

 

3 - Then Rafael vanished too.

 

4 - Even Landon, the hobbit, was nowhere to be found.

 

 

“Frowning doesn’t suit you”, says a comforting voice.

 

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MG captured her hands and ushered her to the dance floor.

 

Well, at least she could get one dance out of this party, she thought. Even if it is with a friend.

 

“Hey MG?”

 

“Yeah, Lizzie?”

 

“I didn’t get to thank you for last time... for what you did, when I, you know…”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Uhm… You know… When I kind of lost control” Lizzie softly chuckles, her cheeks bright red in embarrassment, while MG looks absolutely clueless.

 

“Always”.

 

MG shifts his eyes to the blond girls’ eyes and then to her lips, slowly taking in delicate features and raging beauty.

 

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Lizzie feels a deceitful vibe settling in, a sort of delicious, furtive sensation. 

 

Whatever this is, Lizzie really doesn't need another layer of mystery and surprise in her life. 

 

Lizzie excuses herself, saying she needs to look for her twin but doesn't fail to see the disappointment in her friend's eyes. 

 

How does she manage to hurt everyone that cares about her so easily? 

 

 

She really doesn't deserve a friend like MG...

 

 

 

While brown eyes are hunting blue eyes, Josie’s body slams into a raven-haired girl.

 

“Oh god!”. Just when she thought her night couldn’t get any weirder.

 

“Just call me Pen, JoJo, no need for flattery” answers Penelope with a smug expression.

 

 

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"I almost forgot how funny and humble you are" retorts Josie, voice laced in disinterest, "Did you see where Hope went?" 

 

Josie doesn't have time to beat around the bush, and the brunette is getting quickly frustrated.

 

“Hope? The new girl? Mmm how interesting.”

 

“Look, P. I really don’t have time for pleasantries or gossip for that matter. If you don’t want to answer, just say so”

 

“Okay, no need to snap at me. I saw lover-boy taking her to her room”.

 

Lover-boy? Oh. Landon.

Well, that’s good. Landon is the sweetest guy she knows.

She is sure he will take good care of H… Hope.

 

Why does this thought suddenly weigh on her heart like a brick?

 

 

 

“Beat it devil’s spawn… I need to talk to my sister”

 

Lizzie is suddenly dragging Josie to the nearest balcony.

 

“Well, at least I got 2 minutes of talking to Josie without you barging in, bloodsucker. I guess it’s more than I got out of the whole relationship” 

 

Penelope feels a headache brewing and decides to call it a night.

 

Lizzie is a parasite, and dwelling on the past was not something she wanted to get into any more. 

 

She loved Josie with all her heart, but was sick of being placed second. 

 

Never once did Josie make Penelope her priority because, and well let's face it, there was only space for Lizzie in Josie's life…

 

 

 

 

"Not now Lizzie".

 

“I am sorry…” whispers Lizzie, “really and truly sorry” regrets and doubts were weighing on Lizzie’s heart and haunting her gaze.

 

“You should be”, says the brunette, her voice rough around the edges. “I'm always there for you, Lizzie, but you can’t expect me to know whenever something is wrong. I am not a magician nor a seer. If you need my help, you should just ask. Why do you make everything so hard?” Josie’s voice is choking, and tears are showering her face when Lizzie throws her arms around her sister.

 

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“I know, okay? I'm a mess. I just really need you, Jo. I'm just afraid that you will leave me one day… just like dad. I can’t live without you, Jo. I just can’t”

 

“Lizzie, dad left the both of us, and I feel that fear too…trust me. But I'm not dad, and I would never leave you, so stop freaking out on me… You are stuck with me… Because as much as you drive me crazy, I can’t imagine living without you” Josie is panting and the twins are both staring at each other, taken over by a certain serenity, refusing to let go of each others.

 

Lizzie needs Josie, as much as Josie needs Lizzie, and they both knew that.

 

“Thank you for always being here, Jo. I just … I promise, I will always be honest with you from now on”.

 

Josie feels a pang of guilt at these words.

 

Rafael… Shit! She needs to tell her sister the truth. Just not now, she thinks.

 

Now is definitely not the time to shake this fragile peace…

 

 

At the Salvatore dormitory:

Josie decides to go fix her makeup before joining Caroline: she promised her mom a dance, and this was the one person she didn't want to disappoint today. Tonight's casualties kept piling up, and she was adamant that her mom wouldn't be part of the cited long list.

 

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Just as she reaches her doorknob, a whisper surprises her at the end of the corridor. 

 

She peeks over, only to catch Landon leaning in to kiss a certain auburn-haired girl… 

 

Hope seems reluctant, but Josie doesn't get a chance to see her reaction. 

 

The brunette squeals and goes into her room within seconds. 

Did Hope kiss him back? 

 

Her heart dangerously slows down, her mind, and body become paralysed, and she is progressively overtaken by sickening loathing.  A feeling of disgust is heavily suffocating her trifling, barely audible, breath…

 

No, this is not happening.

 

The auburn-haired girl with enchanting eyes can kiss whomever she wants. 

 

Josie shuts her eyes and gets out in a haste, only to find that the maleficent corridor was now empty.

 

 

Were they in Hope's room now? 

 

Josie chases the excruciating thought and goes to meet her mother. 

 

This is not the time to dwell on this… It was getting pathetic. They had just met after all, and besides, it was none of her business. 

 

Hope must hate her anyway, after not one, but two awkward encounters. 

She didn't exactly make a first good impression, nor a second for that matter. 

Whatever this inexplicable infatuation was, it was bound to disappear... 

 

It was probably just a hormonal reaction. She was a teenager, after all.

Yup, that was it, she decided.

She will just have to get a grip...

 

Chapter 7: In My Bed

Chapter Text

Josie woke up sandwiched between 2 bodies embodying sun and moon. 

 

Strong sheltering tanned hands were holding her by the waist, whilst pale soft palms were caressing her cheeks. 

 

What the Hell was happening? 

 

A hot breath on her neck made her turn to see Rafael's brown eyes gazing at her. 

 

Whilst deep Blue eyes were calling out to her from the other side, imprisoning every breath she was taking…

 

"Hope? What are you doing here… Uhm… In my bed?"

 

"I am here for you, silly. We all are" says Hope in a husky voice that launches goosebumps on Josie's skin in the most natural way. 

 

It is like her body has always been waiting to be awoken like this. 

 

A s if it was in deep slumber.

Waiting for something.

Waiting for someone.

 

"I'm so glad you agreed to share", says a distant voice. Landon suddenly joins them on the bed and places himself between pale and bronzed skin, separating Hope from its prey.

 

"Landon?"

 

Josie was panting…huffing and wheezing.

 

 

 

 

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"Are you having a fucking sex dream, Jo??" 

 

Lizzie's eyes have gone wide, pupils dilated and blue getting darker by the second.

 

Josie is brought back to reality and opens her eyes to a very shocked and appalled Lizzie.

 

"Let me repeat the question for the sake of my sanity… Were you having a sex dream? An actual sex dream with the Hobbit?"

 

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“What? Nooo… Absolutely not”.

 

“What do you mean, no? You were panting and muttering his name. Besides, your cheeks are fiery, and you can’t even look me in the eyes… What the hell!"

 

'What? No… That's not…"

 

"Please go take a cold shower right this instant. I don’t even want to know at this point” utters Lizzie nauseatingly, before closing her eyes again.

 

 

 

Josie does not need a cold shower.

 

Seeing Landon in her bed was the wake-up call she needed.

 

Definitely stronger than a cold shower...

 

 

 

Speaking of Landon…

 

Josie texted him to see if he would have some free time to stick to their usual routine and practice for a bit today before classes.

 

The latter quickly texts her back, agreeing with the plan.

 

They meet up in the music room.

 

“You look like Hell” teases Josie.

 

"I feel like Hell! My head is going to explode… Fucking hangover"

 

"Landon Kirby was drunk? Wow, that is a first".

 

“Well, Rafael thought I would need a bit of liquid courage yesterday”.

 

“To kiss Hope?” Josie asks with a bit of venom in her voice.

 

Landon doesn’t seem to pick up on that.

 

 

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Source: https://the-legacy-of-to-tvd.fandom.com/wiki/Josie_Saltzman

 

 

 

“Yeah. How did you know?”

 

“A little birdie saw you both in the dormitory”.

 

"Well, that little birdie made a mistake. Just like stupid old me…"

 

“What do you mean?” Josie raises her brow in surprise, before focusing on Landon’s words with all her might.

 

“Well…let’s just say. That didn’t really go as planned. She kind of stopped me. She was really cool about it, and I felt like a jerk.”

 

“What did she say?” Josie released a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. 

 

“She said, and I quote - Landon you seem like a nice guy, and I'm sure you mean this in the best of intentions, but you're drunk, I'm upset, and we just met... Let’s not do something we both will regret. I appreciate your help today, but honestly, I don’t know If I'm in a place in my life where I want to be in a relationship - and then she ushered me inside, gave me a bottle of water, and sent me off. It was quite pathetic. Oh, and on my way out, I sort of, kinda also invited her to join us today, to hear us sing…”

 

Josie is relieved, but also kind of impressed.

 

Hope Mikealson seems to be mature, but also kind. 

 

If only she got to see that side of her. 

 

Damn you, Lizzie.

 

DAMN YOU!

 

Wait... So Hope is coming... to hear them sing? To hear her sing?

 

 

“Uhmmm… so she's coming now?” asks Josie nervously.

 

“No…she texted me today saying she has an appointment with Miss Tig, and then has basketball practice after class. She said we could hang out after that”.

 

“Oh, she's trying out for our Basketball team?” 

 

What is it with the universe's unwavering attempts to put them together in the same room? 

 

I mean out of all the things to do in this school, she chose Basketball…

 

 

“Anyway, let’s start from the top. Lay all your love on me?” asks Landon with a grin on his face. 

 

“Sure, we haven’t done Mamma Mia in a long time”.

 

 

Emma’s office:

 

“Miss Tig? Caroline said you needed to see me”

 

“Yes, Hope. I just wanted to see how you were doing. Standard procedure with the new students, I'm afraid”.

 

“Sure, No problem.”

 

“So, how are things going?”

 

“Okay”

 

“How was the dance yesterday?” 

 

“Okay”

 

“Are you going to stick to one-word answers?” Emma raises her eyebrows in concern. 

 

“I guess”

 

“Okay, tell you what. Let me try phrasing questions differently, and you can just answer with yes or no. But be honest with me”

 

“Okay”

 

“Are you feeling overwhelmed?”

 

“… Yes” answers Hope after a while, hesitantly.

 

“Have you met some of your classmates?”

 

“Yes”

 

“Do you like a few?”

 

“I guess. Uhm… I mean yes”.

 

Source: https://tenor.com/view/hope-mikaelson-sad-feeling-down-alone-lonely-gif-15787874

 

 

“Have you talked to your aunts yet?”

 

“No” Hope’s voice breaks… and her heart feels heavier.

 

“Do you want to talk to them?”

 

“Yes. I actually thought I could do it tonight, after class. It has been a while, and I kind of miss my family”.

 

“You should, Hope. Reaching out to your family will certainly make things easier, and you might find yourself surprised by their reaction."

 

"What… How?"

 

"Letting go is also good for you. Staying angry doesn’t solve anything, nor does bottling things up. Unresolved things tend to pile up and shake our lives when we least expect”.

 

"Oh… So they told you."

 

“Only the bare minimum. Although, I would like to hear it from you when you feel like it”.

 

“Okay”

 

“Well, that’s all for today. You should go to class. I’ll see you next week, same time”.

 

“Sure. Bye Miss Tig”.

 

“Have a nice day, Hope”.

 

Hope goes to her assigned class. 

 

To her dismay, she's late. 

 

Well, at least she doesn't have to see Lizzie or Josie.

 

Landon told her the twins are younger, and only shared a few classes with them. 

 

She's almost relieved… Almost, until she realizes that due to her tardiness, seat options have been limited to one free seat, namely, the seat next to the guy who almost bit her head off yesterday. 

 

Great… Her first day is starting off so well.

 

Can't wait to see what else will happen today, thinks Hope before dropping her bag on the floor, and taking a seat next to Rafael, who does not look happy at all.

Chapter 8: Stay away from Josie!

Chapter Text

“Lizzie, I can’t skip history class, we just started, and Mr. Salvatore knows we should be there”.

 

"Come on MG. PLEAAAAASE. He's already dating my mom; he doesn't get to take my freedom too".

 

Stefan had always been sweet.

 

But the way he gazed at her mom all the time was too "Edward Cullen" for her taste… He always had this pining look and these bedroom eyes that made some minds worry. 

 

Although she had to admit, he was good-looking for his age. And definitely better than her always-drunk dad.

 

“Exactly! He's dating your mom… Put 2 and 2 together, he will tell her we skipped, and no offence but your mom kind of scares me…”.

 

"I'll just say I had period cramps. The last time I said that to him, he froze like a deer in headlights. It's hilarious how easy it is to exploit the fear of patriarchy…" murmured Lizzie with a smirk.

 

“Fascinating”, says MG, his voice laced with shock and embarrassment “one small problem though, I never had period cramps and I don't have a uterus for that matter,” says MG irritably, before folding his arms.  

 

Apparently, they’re talking about period cramps now.

 

What’s next? Mani-Pedis together perhaps?

 

MG is losing his mind.

 

The friend-zone was not kind to him at all. 

 

"We can just say that you, as a nobleman and superior being, were my knight in shining armour, and felt the moral duty to accompany the fair vulnerable lady to her room…" Lizzie looked at MG before changing her tone, "Could you kindly walk me to my room, dear sir? Stefan will eat it up. That's what he gets for teaching us about medieval times". 

 Lizzie offers her hand in a show of mockery.

 

MG freezes. His blush going darker, he opens and closes his mouth a couple of times, not knowing what to say.

 

Lizzie stares at MG intensely while pouting her lips significantly. “Oh, don’t be a prude, we are in the 21st century.”

 

"But…"

 

"Come on… Don’t get your panties all in a bunch… This is not Game of Thrones, Arya. Pleeeeeeeeeeease say yes.”

 

Arya?

 

He doesn't even get to be a male character.

 

This is getting ridiculous. 

 

A lthough he had to admit that Arya was pretty cool. 

 

Ugh ! Lizzie is looking at him with a huge pout.

 

He is so screwed!

 

“Like I can say no to you, MY FAIR LADY” MG offers her his arm playfully, whilst smirking, a mischievous glint sparking in his eyes “Very well, I will accompany you on one condition. You have to watch the new Spider-Man movie with me this weekend”.  

 

“Shhhhhhuuuuut keep your voice down. There are living, breathing human beings with ears around here. Are you trying to ruin my reputation? This is social suicide… "

 

"So… That's a yes?"

 

"Yes, okay, fine, we can go on Saturday?”

 

MG beams like a child, and Lizzie chuckles knowing that she wanted to watch the movie regardless of their deal, but willing to let MG think he had the upper hand. 

 

The patriarchy-usurper strikes again.

 

Okay, she needs to work on the name, but at least she got to skip Stefan mansplaining wars led by men in skirts.

 

 

Chemistry Class:

 

Hope had always liked chemistry. The way substances mingled, fought, eradicated, and created always fascinated her. 

 

She liked how in practice few substances were entirely pure, and that just like human beings, a reaction could affect each substance differently. 

 

The conversion of reactants depended on multiple factors, for that matter, and she knew that people were like that too. 

 

No one was purely good or bad, and each one reacted differently to different situations and different people. 

 

Some people brought the good in others, while others brought the bad. 

 

She also knew that she considered herself part of the second batch.

 

Wherever she went, chaos followed.

 

Whomever she loved, could never be safe.

 

She was like sulphuric acid, a corrosive being that had an ever-lasting devastating effect.

 

 

“We have a new student joining us this year. Could you introduce yourself, please”?

 

Hope nodded. 

 

Introducing herself? She'll just be her blunt self, like always. 

 

Hope Mikealson was nothing if not frank. She always opted for the truth. Even if it was painfully dull, upsetting, or tactless.

 

It was just her nature.

 

Unlike Josie, she was never good with people. She never wanted to make an effort, and never saw a need to.

 

That is not to say that she didn’t have admirers.

 

Oh, no. It was actually quite the opposite. Hope Mikealson left a trail of disappointed suitors wherever she went.

 

She had people throwing themselves at her without even trying. It was fair to say that Mikealson and Marshall genes were a blessing.

 

She was beautiful, smart, and often cocky by nature, especially when she was being poked.

 

“Sure. I’m Hope Mikealson. American. Was relocated this year because of my rebellious streak” the Mikealson gene was oozing confidence as usual.

 

If anybody else had said those words, the effect would have probably been abysmal. However, this was not the case now. Brows were raised, and whispers erupted in the class. Good or bad, she definitely made an impression.

 

This woman could shift from recluse to cocky in a flash. Although both behaviours had the desired effect of pushing people away and keeping her loved ones at arm’s length.

 

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Well, this is presumably her last year, and she was forcibly thrown here.

 

Might as well make the best of it.

 

Scaring people would also be a bonus.

 

Two birds with one stone, she thought.

 

“Ehem, okay. Thank you, Miss Mikealson”.

 

“Rebellious streak Hun? How intimidating… I don’t think you will manage to continue this streak for long though” says Rafael with a sneer.

 

“Barking dog never bites” she answered, confidence seeping out of her voice, clearly unimpressed by the muffled threat.

 

“Stay away from Josie”, says Rafael with as much venom as he could muster.

 

“Trust me, I want nothing to do with you or Josie” growls Hope. It felt like she was trying but miserably failing to convince herself.

 

“That didn’t seem to be the case yesterday. You couldn’t keep your eyes or paws off her”

 

“You both can FUCK each other all day for all I care. Just leave me out of it” grumbles Hope in a haste, failing to hide a scarlet blush slowly marching in on her face, like troops launching an invasion.

 

She turns her face in an attempt to avoid Rafael's inquisitive eyes and hide her traitorous cheeks.  

 

Rafael doesn’t get a chance to answer as he gets called to Caroline’s office.

 

Hope releases her breath, pleased with the unplanned yet optimal exit route that was just offered to her.  

 

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Chapter 9: Pass me the Damn Ball!

Chapter Text

 

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"Welcome to the Salvatore Stallions Girls! A small warning: How you play today, will impact whether you participate in the first game or if you will warm the bench this season, so don't disappoint me" points out Coach Williams with a wink. "I want you guys to have a friendly, clean game. Show me what you got!"

 

"Yes coach!"

 

"Okay Listen Newbies: Finch, you will play small forward, Cleo shooting guard, and Hope you'll play as Point Guard."

 

"Who's team captain?" 

 

"Hold your horses Alyssia. Lizzie and Josie you'll be Centers and Team Captains. Choose your teams wisely".

 

"I'm going to play with Morticia (aka Penelope or the devil's spawn as Lizzie likes to call her), Alyssa, Finch, and Cleo. Josie, you play with Newbie, Jade, Maya, and Dana" announces Lizzie, not waiting for Josie's input. 

 

I mean, the arrangement was pretty fair, but it was still kind of rude! 

 

Josie gulps. 

 

Not that the idea of playing with Hope, wasn't appealing, but after last night, she doubted Hope would be very willing to play fair.

 

“Elizabeth Saltzman, are you getting soft on me now?” says Penelope with a smirk.

 

“Yeah, well better the devil I know than the devil I don’t”, says Lizzie whilst eyeing Hope. “Besides, I need a Point Guard, shortie”.

 

Penelope rolls her eyes and gives Lizzie the third finger with a smirk on her face.

 

“Alright girls, that’s enough. Now move it along, we don’t have all day” scolds the coach.

 

Coach Dorian Williams had decided to start with a friendly game to assess the level of the new players.

 

The latter consisted of Hope, Finch, and Cleo. 

 

He then asked his best players to join them on the court and show everyone what they got.

 

The twins kind of knew they would be team captains, which gave the blond time to plan ahead. 

 

Lizzie thought about the options... And decided she would take the 2 newbies on her team, instead of Hope. It was a small price to pay for avoiding the gremlin and her accent.  She ushered her team to the other side of the court to devise a strategy.

 

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Josie on the other hand looked at Hope, debating whether or not, she should welcome her on the team before strategizing... When she was met with hollow shells.

 

Hope's eyes embodied a blue void. No emotions whatsoever came to the surface. 

 

This was not going to be easy; thought Josie.

 

 

“Okay team, let’s start with men-on-men for now. I’ll guard my sister; Jade, you guard Alyssa. Beware, you know how cunning she can be” says Josie.

 

“Eye-eye-captain” teases Jade with a playful wink. Josie nods, a slight blush on her cheeks.

 

Hope rolls her eyes.

 

“Dana guard Cleo! I have seen her in a few games last year. She almost never does a layup, but rarely misses a shot. Keep an eye on her” instructs Josie in a stern voice.

 

“Maya, guard Finch and stick to her like glue, she’s pretty fast”.

 

“I guess that leaves me with Penelope”, says Hope with a straight face. 

 

Josie nods, and glares at the aburn-haired girl intently, trying to read any emotion on her face, but she is sadly surprised with none. 

 

What is going through your head, HOPE MIKEALSON? Wonders Josie.

 

 

 

Josie and Lizzie both started playing when they were 8 years old.

 

Truth be told, they felt like it was the only way to win their dad’s approval.

 

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He was the coach at the Salvatore school back then, always barking up orders (on the court and at home).

 

Josie even recalls him. often using his whistle to wake them up on weekends before throwing buckets of water at them.

 

How fucked up is that? 

 

Emotional Abuse & Psychological Trauma... 

 

At least that was how Lizzie phrased it...

 

 

With time, however, Josie actually grew to like the game, despite her dad being a jerk.

 

The feeling of racing against the clock, shooting hoops, scoring before the final buzzer, stealing a ball, blocking a shot, and rejoicing with her teammates… These were all images that raced through her head like a cinematic masterpiece. It made her heart flutter and her legs tingle.

 

She needed to play and let loose. And maybe, just maybe, the court could bring her and Hope together… Not that it had worked for her dad. 

 

Josie is brought back to reality with coach Williams blowing his whistle.

 

She positioned herself in front of Lizzie and focused on the ball that was flying in the air... Only to be yet again surprised by her sister's antics. 

 

You see... What the others failed to notice was that Lizzie, cunning as usual, whispered something midair, to catch Josie off guard.

Damn you, Lizzie...

 

Picture this --->

The blond is grinning, holding the ball in place like a trophy. 

 

As Lizzie is scanning the area to see where Penelope is, she suddenly hears, much to her dismay, the ball bounce behind her.

 

"Oh, no!" She spits.

 

Hope, anticipating Lizzie’s movements, and positioning herself at a perfect blind-spot, had quickly shifted to Lizzie’s right with one swift slide and stole the ball in a quick barely noticeable motion. Hope was heading to the other basket like a storm.

 

Boy was she fast.

 

Josie was rarely impressed, but this was definitely striking...

 

Coach Williams is closely following the blue-eyed playmaker running towards the rim, while all the other players are painfully trailing behind her. From her position, it seems like she's going for a layup.

 

What can’t this 5-foot firestorm do? Dorian is intrigued. 

 

The scene quickly plays after that but feels like a slow-motion feed.

 

Hope starts jumping towards the rim but notices an arm stretching to her right. Finch, who was following her, was hoping to block the shot and intercept the ball, but is taken aback when Hope stops midair, turns to her left, and sends a reverse pass to the back.

 

 

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Maya doesn’t even have to move. She catches the ball with ease and aims at the basket without a second thought.

 

The ball goes through the net with a swoosh sound, and Hope doesn't even bother looking at the basket. She approaches Maya with a smile and gives her a nudge on the shoulder.

 

“Pretty and smart. You've got the whole package, Newbie! Welcome to the team” Maya winks at Hope.

 

“Well, you're not so bad yourself. The shot was almost as good as the assist” Hope smirks and winks back. 

 

Since when are these two friends?

 

Josie doesn't like this new-found friendship one bit...

 

“Okay, Okay, Bonnie and Clyde. Don't celebrate too early. The game has just started, and it is SO ON” says Lizzie, before pointing two V-sign fingers first at her own eyes, then at Hope "You are going down Cruella, like a kicked puppy!".

 

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Josie should be happy.

 

I mean, they scored the first basket. The morale is up, and her teammates are smiling...

 

But Josie is not happy.

 

In fact, Josie is fuming. Was Maya really flirting right now?

 

Since when did Maya flirt? I mean, Jade, always flirted. Penelope always flirted.

 

Maya? Maya never flirted.

 

I guess Hope is her type. 

 

Then again... Hope seems to be everyone's type, complains Josie with an annoyed frown.

 

Maya and Hope make quite the duo, it seems.

 

Whenever Hope manages to pass her the ball, Maya doesn’t fail to score. 

 

Lizzie’s team is also playing well. Cleo doesn’t miss any three points, and Penelope runs her team’s offense optimally, controlling the ball and making sure that it gets to the right player at the right time. 

 

“Color me impressed”, says, Hope, and Penelope bows in a show of mockery.

 

Josie has to admit that it's quite endearing to see Hope get along with everyone on the court.

 

Well, almost everyone. Lizzie of course is not happy about the team bonding.

 

“Hey, no fraternizing with the enemy” growls Lizzie at Penelope.

 

Josie hasn’t managed to show off her skills yet for more than a few shots, namely when Jade passes her the ball.

 

Hope and Maya have been hogging the ball for most of the second quarter, and Josie is not happy about it.

 

She suspects that Hope is ignoring her on purpose, but decides to give her the benefit of the doubt.

 

By half-time though and before the whistle, Lizzie’s team is leading by 2 points and Hope is slowly marching with her team towards the basket when Dana offers her an exit route via a screen, allowing Hope to bypass Penelope.

 

Hope looks at the court and sees a very unguarded Josie, ready to slam the rim.

 

Josie calls out to her with deep brown eyes; the same brown eyes that danced with her yesterday.

 

She hesitates, struggling internally...before her instincts finally kick in and she decides to pass Josie the ball after a while.

 

A little too late, though. Finch intercepts the ball and throws it back to Alyssa who tosses the ball high towards the basket, before Lizzie jumps up, catches the ball, and then slams it into the hoop. 

 

“WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT?? I mean, Pass me the Damn Ball! How hard is it to pass the fucking ball? I was alone under the basket. What’s your problem?” Josie snaps, her voice dripping with venom.

 

A hint of guilt flashes in Hope’s eyes, but quickly disappears, much to Josie's dismay. Hope just shrugs.

 

“Sorry, didn’t see you there”.

 

OH, IT IS ON.

 

T wo can play at this game.

 

You want to be petty. I can be petty.

 

Josie is now drowning in pure anger. 

 

"Okay girls, take a time-out, a 5-min water break before we regroup."

 

"Okay, coach!"

 

"And Hope, next time when a player is available, pass them the ball. Overthinking in basketball doesn't help".

 

“Got it, coach” Hope shakes her head in approval.

 

Players scatter whilst Hope and Josie stare at each other: none of them willing to back down.

 

The tension in the air was palpable, and the moment seemed to drag out for much longer than it should've...

 

“Wow, there is more testosterone here than in a strip club”, says Lizzie attempting to lighten the mood. She takes Josie by the wrist and slides her towards the bench.

 

“You're not being helpful” intervenes Cleo.

 

“Oh, I was not trying to be helpful, I was just entertaining myself” replies Lizzie whilst chuckling.

 

“Jo, what’s gotten into you? You have never been so easily provoked, and what the fuck was this tension? I could cut it with a Knife…"

 

"I know... I shouldn't have..."

 

"Do you want me to skin her alive? Just say the word”. Lizzie is rubbing her thumb on Josie’s palms, gazing at her with eyes reflecting concern and unease.  

 

“I…I just…Nothing. I shouldn’t have snapped. Maybe she really didn’t see me. I overreacted”.

 

Hope, overhearing Josie, realizes that she fucked up.

 

Her expression warping with guilt, she decides (hopefully not too late) to flip strategies in the second half.

 

Mikealsons were good at payback, but they were also good at forgiveness.

 

And deep down she knew she shouldn’t have behaved like that… Being petty was never something she liked.

 

“Okay Mikealson, let’s show them what we got!” Maya raises an eyebrow, cocking her head to the side with a playful smirk.

 

“Let’s kick ass!” retorts Hope gushing in conviction.

 

The second half of the game seems to be slower than the first. Both teams are tired, and defenders are struggling to keep up.

 

Josie, however, seems to be at the top of her game. The brunette is using everyone’s fatigue to her advantage. Boxing out, screening, faking.

 

Hope can’t keep her eyes off of her. She's leading her team without a sweat. It’s like she recharged during the break and was just waiting to let all her energy out.

 

Hope finds herself smiling and throwing the ball to the brunette every chance she gets.

 

Now that Hope has started playing well (by not dismissing her team's center), she's distributing the ball to her teammates flawlessly.

 

Hope starts controlling the tempo of the game with ease, setting up plays with a few gestures, and executing the latter to perfection.

 

Above all Hope is instigating fast break after fast break, as Josie finds herself easily blocking shots and protecting her basket fiercely.

 

While Hope is the floor leader, Josie is the centerpiece. 

By the fourth quarter, Josie's team is leading by 10 points, and everyone is panting. 

 

Alyssa Chang is fuming at this point. 

 

Fuck this. That's what she gets for playing fair. 

 

As the game is coming to an end, a final fast break is brewing. 

 

Hope runs towards the basket, attempting a layup, she fakes left and jumps to her right, when someone pushes her by the waist and shoves her to the side. 

 

Hope hits something. No. Hope hits someone, and they go tumbling down, the ball flying out of her hands into the distance.

 

Someone broke Hope's fall.

 

"Josie" sighs Hope looking at an unconscious brunette.

 

 

Chapter 10: It wouldn’t hurt to know where the happy pills are stored!

Chapter Text

Somehow, amongst all the chaos, Hope ended up brutally slamming Josie to the floor. She had her upper body laying on top of the brunette, chest against chest, bodies fully flushed against one another.

 

Hope's lips were angled towards Josie's neck, barely touching her pulse point. 

 

Once Hope realized that they were so close, she used her hands to slightly elevate herself off the brown-eyed girl but remained on top of her, panic and worry clouding her judgment and oozing from her voice.

 

“Josie?… Josie, are you okay? Answer me please”

 

Josie, who was slummed on the floor, heard a distant voice calling out to her. A voice laced with anxiety and full of emotions.

 

She opened her eyes to see auburn hair covering her skin, circling her face, and brushing her cheeks ever so slightly.

 

Her eyes widened at the sudden proximity with Hope, and her cheeks shifted from pale to scarlet red like fire quickly gaining ground in a field of hay.

 

Hope, realizing the same thing, tried to move hesitantly before her posture faltered, and she almost fell to the side.

 

Josie’s reflexes intervened unexpectedly, gripping hope’s hips to keep her in place, making Josie blush more, if that were even possible.

 

Touching Hope right where her shirt was slightly raised, her thumb gently laying on the girl’s front, made her skin quiver. She involuntarily flinched and squeezed even more, making Hope blush in retaliation.

 

They stayed like that for a moment before they heard a commotion behind them. Lizzie was probably out for blood, her flair for the dramatics acting up after witnessing her sister’s fall.

 

“Sorry…” mumbled Hope, running her hand through her hair and pushing them to the back. Josie is somehow disappointed and finds herself missing the slight brush of Hope’s silky hair.

 

Hope pushes herself up and is now squatting to help Josie up as well when Alyssa, feigning worry, reaches for Josie.

 

 

“Don’t touch her” growled Hope.

 

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Josie’s cheeks were blazing…

 

The kindness and worry which radiated from Hope just a few seconds ago were now completely gone in a haze. Josie was witnessing a very protective (even overprotective) Hope. It made her heart flutter and her breath quicken in rebellion.

 

“That’s awfully possessive of you” retorts Alyssa, her voice dripping with irony.

 

The brunette, blushing heavily, looks away.

 

“I really hope for your sake that this was a miscalculated mistake because if I find out that you did this on purpose, and I will find out, we will be having a very different conversation” Hope points to her fists.

 

She swiftly grabs Josie by the waist, making the latter squeal in the process, and lifts her off the ground.

 

Even with Josie up, Hope doesn’t retrieve her arm … She keeps it right in its place, lying around the girl’s waist, holding her steady. 

 

Hope then starts walking towards the door whilst holding Josie with one hand and blocking out everyone’s murmurs.

 

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/797418677770344436/

 

“Hey superstar, can you show me where the infirmary is?” asks Hope in the most delicate, attentive voice that Josie has ever heard.

 

“Uhm… You really don’t have to take me… I’ll just go on my own, I promise you I'm fine” answers Josie, her voice laced with embarrassment, but unwilling to reject Hope’s help brusquely.

 

"I know you can go on your own, but I'm new here, and I guess it wouldn't hurt to know where the happy pills are stored" Hope winks at her with a grin on her face.

 

Josie finds herself giggling in spite of the pain she is feeling.

 

She looks at the ethereal girl holding her and gets lost in her delicate features.

 

Her ocean eyes, cherry red lips, and of course that devastating smile.

 

Oh my god, what a smile…

 

And although it's true that she had never seen that smile before, Josie quickly realizes that with Hope: all it takes is one time: one time before she is utterly hooked.

 

“You can put her on the bed, Miss Mikealson”

 

Hope nods, and very carefully lowers Josie to the bed, unknowingly brushing over Josie's thighs when she retracts her hands. 

 

Josie realizes that every part of her body reacts willingly to Hope, nothing more than slaves obediently submitting to their earthly master.

 

She feels like her body is nothing but an endowment allowed by the auburn-haired girl; body parts that aren't hers and were never hers, to begin with…

 

One look, one sound, one touch is all it takes for her to falter.

 

"It seems that she only has a small concussion, but it would be better if she stayed here for a few hours just in case. Better safe than sorry… Uhm, Can someone stay with her? Lizzie perhaps?"

 

Oh, shit… Lizzie is definitely planning Alyssa's funeral right about now. 

 

Nothing can stand in the way of Lizzie on a vendetta, and lord help the poor souls who try.

 

“I will stay”, says Hope, keeping her eyes on Josie like a delicate shield.

 

Josie feels some kind of overwhelming warmth and secretly wonders how all that can be radiated off just a gaze?

 

“Are you feeling, okay?”

 

"I mean, I feel like I got hit by a truck" gloats Josie before quickly changing course, "Hey, don't look so worried. I was kidding… I'm okay, really. You heard the nurse. Everything is fine." 

 

Hope's gaze is now heavily laced with guilt and concern.

 

“I'm really sorry, Josie.”

 

“We are back to Josie now? I kind of liked superstar” joked Josie before getting swayed by Hope’s sigh to take things more sternly.

 

“I'm serious, I'm sorry.”

 

“For what exactly? Ignoring me or using me as your own personal pillow?”

 

Josie grins at her…

 

Hope is happy with the lighter atmosphere and smiles before continuing, “I guess a bit of both. And for yesterday’s Cinderella retreat. I overreacted”.

 

“You didn’t even leave me any slippers. How rude!!”, says Josie with a pout. Hope’s heart melts on the spot, but she giggles, not knowing what to say.

 

“Speaking of yesterday. Hope… I need to explain something” says Josie with a straight face and a strangled voice. 

 

“You really don’t need to explain. I promise. I get it. You don’t need to answer for your boyfriend’s jealousy. It was not your fault and I shouldn't have been angry at you” Hope looks hurt at first, but then she reaches to hold Josie’s hand and squeezes it in reassurance. 

 

“Rafael is actually not…” attempted to say Josie before the door was flung open and Landon came in.

 

“Hey, are you okay? I was waiting for Hope on the bleachers when I saw what happened. I was really worried”

 

Disappointment sparks in Josie's eyes in a flash.

 

She doesn't know if it's because she didn't get to clarify that she's single (and super ready to mingle), or because Hope retracted her hand suddenly, and she was missing the feeling already, or because Landon, who was so obviously crushing on Hope, interrupted their moment yet again.

 

Probably, a combination of all three.

 

“She is fine. She just has a small concussion” intervenes Hope, afraid to let Josie strain herself with having to explain what happened.

 

Josie smiles and nods gratefully.

 

“I am glad you are fine, Jo. Can I call Lizzie or your mom for you?”

 

“You don’t have to,” says Hope, her voice laced with resolution “I'm staying with her” Hope offers for the second time today and Josie is drowning in awe.

 

 

It feels like Hope will keep reiterating these words until everyone leaves them alone: which would very much, please Josie.

 

“No need Hobbit, you can take your girlfriend and leave” intervenes Lizzie.

 

“She's not my girlfriend…” says Landon, giggling like an embarrassed 12-year-old.

 

Hope didn't even seem to notice. Her mind is zooming in on the word "leave" and suddenly she hates this word with all her might…

 

She doesn't want to leave Josie but feels a sudden pang of doubts when she thinks things over.

 

She quickly decides she doesn't want to bother Josie.

 

The brunette probably prefers having her sister here, rather than an almost stranger…

 

She nods towards Lizzie and reaches to squeeze Josie’s hand one more time, catching a slight blush on the brunette’s face.

 

“You are welcome, sissy”, says Lizzie, seemingly oblivious to the emotional turmoil she unintentionally sparked.

 

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Hope and Landon leave together, and Josie sighs heavily, yearning for Hope’s blue eyes and fighting a tingle of jealousy.

 

She doesn't like seeing her best friend with Hope giggling and smiling. In fact, she hates it and she knows that she is utterly screwed...

 

 

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Chapter 11: We need to talk...

Chapter Text

Hope was walking in the halls haunted by mesmerizing brown eyes, not really listening to the speech of the curly-haired boy.

 

It’s not that she didn’t want to listen per se; it’s that she was still kind of worried…

 

 

Seeing the image of the unconscious girl was like a hard wake-up call.

 

The image kept popping in her head like an uninvited guest and established itself as a permanent resident in her memory. 

 

“Hey, do you hear that?” opens Landon, pulling her out of her thoughts.

 

Yes she was… Hearing that.

 

A Bossa Nova tune of All Night Long was playing … 

 

 

She liked listening to Bossa Nova and jazz music, whilst painting. Always had liked it since her dad introduced her to jazz.  

 

Oh right, her phone...

 

 

 

“Hey Landon; would you mind if we rescheduled? Today has been quite draining, and aunt Freya is calling me from New Orleans. I haven’t talked to her since I landed”.

 

“Yeah, of course…” started saying Landon to the fleeting girl who had already left his side.

 

 

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Source: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/810648001669414586/

 

 

"Hey aunt Freya"

 

"Hey, honey. "

 

"So what's up?"

 

"I'm sorry, I know it's your first day going to classes, but we kinda need to talk…"

 

“It’s alright. I wanted to call you today anyway; Is everything okay?”

 

“Maybe you should sit down… Do you remember detective Cordelia, Hope?"

 

"Yes…" 

 

Hope held her breath whilst waiting for the rest of the story. 

 

"Well, Roman called to warn us that they dragged him to the precinct to give his statement.” 

 

“Oh… what did he tell them?” asked Hope, panting slightly.

 

“He told them that he doesn’t remember anything. Cordelia didn't buy it and asked him not to leave the city. And according to him, it didn’t sound like a request”.

 

“So, I gather she’ll be coming at me soon…”

 

“Hopefully not. I will see what we can do to stop her, or at least stall her while we find a more permanent solution. Your aunt Rebecca is coming tomorrow to join the fun. Let’s hope she doesn’t make things worse by stabbing Cordelia in the heart.”

 

Hope knows this is a definite possibility. 

 

Her aunt Rebecca has always been loyal to a fault, and slightly unhinged when it came to protecting her family.

 

“Hey, baby. I missed you. How’s school?” says Keelin from the other side of the line.

 

Keeling was Freya's wife. She had always been more affectionate towards Hope.

 

Not that Freya didn't love her. It was quite the opposite. She loved her like her own daughter, she loved her more than herself, but Freya had always found it hard to show her feelings (Another Mikealson curse, she supposes).

 

Keelin unlike her lover wore them on her sleeves. 

 

“It has been nice…” images of Josie flood her mind, and she finds herself smiling.

 

“Oh, yeah… met anyone special?”

 

“… Not really. I need to go aunties, homework, curfew and all. I miss you both, talk soon?”

 

“Of course. Take care sweetheart”.

 

 

That was honestly not a conversation she wanted to get into. 

 

Not now anyway, not when she just found out that detective Cordelia had started her witch hunt.

 

Images of the dreadful night started coming to her in unpleasant flashes. 

 

She needs… She needs to paint…

 

 

 

 

Infirmary:

Josie wakes up groggily and tries to stand up hastily. 

 

She's still in the infirmary; hunh.

 

She should probably go to her room.

 

Her sister is nowhere to be found; probably left after seeing her doze off.

 

She starts heading to the dormitory, when she notices that lights are on in the art room.

 

It’s a bit late to be painting… She thinks.

 

Her curiosity takes over, and she finds herself peeking from the door’s transom, lifting herself up using her toes.

 

 

Long auburn silky hair catches her eyes… Hope? … What is she doing in the art room?

 

 

Oh right, she came to pick up a few supplies last time too.

 

Is she painting? …

 

What can’t this girl do?

 

Why is she so damn perfect?

 

Well, a little emotionally unavailable, but Josie had to admit that the mysterious vibe Hope had… That  "unattainable" sensation, she radiated, made Josie want her even more. 

What is wrong with her?

 

 

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Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/303641199885577490/

 

 

Josie is leaning on the door when she slightly brushes the handle and the door opens, dragging her to the floor, face plummeting to the ground.

 

Hope is dragged out of her focus by a body slamming the ground brutally…

 

 

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Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/129337820538964293/

 

 

 

Josie...

 

 

“Do we need to change your name from superstar to little clumsy?” Hope catches Josie by the waist again and drags her up.

 

Josie blushes, her face briefly flickering with embarrassment.

 

The auburn-haired girl notices her hands lingering and quickly retracts them.

 

“A little on the nose, don’t you think?” answers Josie with a grin on her face.

 

 

Hope had to admit she really missed the banter with the brunette.

 

 

“Maybe… what are you doing here, Jo?”

 

Josie is taken aback by the nickname but finds that she doesn’t mind it. In fact, she kind of really likes how it sounds coming from Hope's lips. 

 

The way the name rolls off Hope’s tongue so easily, kind of turns Josie on…

 

Not now Josie. No dirty thoughts.

 

Not the place nor the time for this. 

 

 

Hope licks her lips before she repeats, “Jo? Are you okay? Is it the concussion? ”

 

There she goes, worrying about her again.

 

Hope is so adorable when she worries.

 

“Oh… yes, yes, I'm fine. Sorry, I was a little out of it. I just saw the lights and was curious to see who was lurking here at night?”

 

“Lurking? Hmm… That's one way to put it. I guess… I just felt overwhelmed today and wanted to paint. It kind of relaxes me. That must sound weird…”

 

"No. It doesn't. I feel the same. Well, with singing, I mean. I can't draw to save my life."

 

Hope giggles. “I'm sure you're not that bad. I can show you a few tricks”.

 

Josie suddenly notices a storm of wild colours behind Hope.

 

Yellow, red, and orange taking over a canvas beautifully and dangerously, stir a feeling of wonder in Josie. 

 

What a beautiful blending… 

 

It seems like a fire but feels like a fog with white shapes floating around the painting. 

 

It was as if she was seeing fire in a daze. 

 

Wow, Hope is just so talented…

 

And Josie had to admit that the painting, although not done yet, was very striking…

 

“Hope this is gorgeous!” says Josie with a huge smile on her face.

 

“Uhm… thanks”, says Hope, feeling self-conscious and kind of threatened somehow. “It's not done yet”.

 

“Still. It’s just beautiful, so full of sensations. I can’t believe you did this. What does the scenery represent exactly? I'm not much of a connoisseur of art”

 

 

Josie hits where it hurts, and Hope shuts down ferociously.

 

“It’s none of your business. If this little interrogation is over, I'm going to go hit the sheets. Bye Saltzman!”

 

“What? Hope, Wait. I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to be nosy… I was just curious…”.

 

 

Too late Josie…

 

Hope was already gone, leaving the canvas behind, as if taunting the brunette...

 

Oh, No...

 

From Jo to Saltzman in a minute, and we are back to square one. 

 

How is it that every time she manages to connect with Hope, the girl just pushes her back to the starting line in one single motion?

 

 

Chapter 12: Maybe I don’t want to look at the whole picture just yet…

Chapter Text

It had been a little over two weeks since the brunette and the auburn-haired girl last spoke to each other. Hope is clearly avoiding Josie obstinately.

 

Josie tried approaching her many times, but she always found Hope with Landon or Maya. The two contenders were constantly honing in on Hope, like a flock of eagles circling their prey and Josie didn’t like it one bit.

 

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Whereas Landon seemed more docile, simply chatting, and joking around with Hope. 

Maya couldn't keep her hands off the new girl, finding any banal reason to touch her: sliding her palm down Hope's arm whilst giggling, or positioning it on Hope's knee, or even sliding it up her thighs like it was the most innocent motion ever. 

And while Hope wasn't budging or encouraging any of them per se, she certainly wasn't discouraging them.

 

This was like Rafael's story all over again, with a few slight differences. 

1 - First and foremost, she was the one that initiated the rift with Rafael, not the opposite way around. 

Whereas with Hope, she wasn't the perpetrator. 

2 - She was never this affected by the situation with Raf, I mean yeah it hurt of course, and she was sort of slightly Jealous.

But not like this.  Whatever she was feeling now, this devouring rage and fervent jealousy: this was very new to her, and Hope avoiding her was heavily heightening these emotions.

 

Even when Josie was lucky enough to find Hope alone, the latter always darted in the opposite direction.

 

Was this the final page already? 

Did the book end before the story ever began? 

Was this attraction, which felt like it could be the start of epic love, doomed to be nothing more than a one-sided fascination? 

And if so, why did Hope lure her in? 

Why did she lead her on with her striking smile, cherry red lips, and those ocean eyes that kept glancing at her so deeply, as if watching her bare and naked soul was the sole reason of their existence?

 

 

“I will ask her to go out with me. I made my decision. I will do it tonight actually” says Landon, his verdict drowning in conviction.

 

“Don’t you think it’s a bit too soon? I mean, you just met her, and she did tell you that she didn’t want to be in a relationship.”

 

Josie is playing the devil’s advocate but realizes it’s more for her benefit than for Landon’s.

 

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna try anyway, before Maya swoops in and takes the lead. I mean, did you see her at the game? She was drooling all over Hope, and I'm pretty sure she's planning to make her move at Jed's party tonight. Maya isn't exactly known for her subtlety".

 

What is this? Thinks Josie.

Season 10 of the bachelorette? 

I mean how does Hope have so many contenders? 

She has literally been here for 5 seconds, and half of the school is already fawning over her...

 

 

“Lan, I need to talk to you”, interjects Rafael, "Hey Jo, do you mind?”

 

“Not at all Raf. I need to meet Lizzie anyway.”

 

Josie was kind of lying.

 

No.  Josie was definitely lying. 

 

In fact, Josie was steering clear of her sister, so she wasn't exactly going to meet her… 

 

But honestly, things with Raf were even weirder than usual now that Josie ended things explicitly.

Granted, he stopped cornering her, which was a huge plus; but a part of her missed the old Raf, her classmate and friend.

 

And she knew that after everything that has happened, she was never getting him back. 

 

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“What’s wrong? You look like a sleep-deprived Zombie” asks Landon, his voice laced with concern.

 

"Caroline called me in yesterday… And she gave me this" Raf handed his friend a sealed letter.

 

“What is this exactly? I didn’t know you had a pen pal.”

 

“It’s a letter from my birth mom. Apparently, she wants to get to know me, but only if I want to.”

 

“I mean, that's great! It’s what you have always wished for, no? You always said you wanted to meet her and find out why she left”.

 

“Yeah, well… They say be careful what you wish for. I mean, maybe not knowing is better than knowing. At least she can’t hurt me if I don’t meet her. What if what I find out, ends up upsetting me further. Maybe I don’t want to look at the whole picture just yet…”

 

"So, what you're saying is that you would rather leave the puzzle unfinished? Even though you have all the pieces now, you're scared of what you might find out?"

 

"I'm saying that with everything that's happening in my life, I don't think I can stand any more bad news. What if she tells me that there was no reason for her leaving? What if she tells me that she just didn't want me, back then?"

 

"Well, then you would know the truth. I think you should at least hear her out, and then you can decide what you want to do with the information. Whatever you choose after that will be your decision."

 

“I guess I will think about it… She said she would wait as long as it takes."

 

"That's awesome bro."

 

"Anyway, what are we doing tonight?”

 

“Aren’t you coming to Jed’s party? Because a certain brunette is coming, and you might get to spend time with her.”

 

“Yeah, I don’t think that's happening any time soon. She doesn’t even want to talk to me.”

 

“Give her some time. She will come around. Who can say no to these brooding eyes?”

 

“Shut up! Let’s get to class before all the seats are taken."

 

"How come?"

 

"Don’t want to sit in the back next to Jed. He always snores louder than a freight train.”

 

“I personally think he's an evil genius in disguise. I mean, he sleeps through every class and still manages to pass his exams.”

 

"Jed Tien? A genius? I think you have watched Lord of the ring one too many times, my friend".

 

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Chapter 13: Oh, so now you are suddenly talking to me again.

Chapter Text

 

Josie looks at her reflection in the mirror and is pleased with the chosen outfit. A simple black skirt and white blouse adorn her slim body.

 

She had opted for the skirt, to show off her assets…

 

Having previously been praised for her slender legs, she is secretly hoping to catch the attention of a pair of blue eyes tonight.

 

She finishes her look with black mascara and red lip gloss, going for a more natural look.

 

The auburn-haired girl strikes her as someone that appreciates the latter… or at least she hopes that she is right.

 

Lizzie of course looks gorgeous in a crop top and skinny jeans. Her long blond hair is cascading down her back with a pin on one side holding her hair in place, whilst the other side is flowing with silky locks of hair striding down the side of her face.

 

"Here's to a fun party and a steamier after-party…" says Lizzie suggestively winking at her sister, whilst holding 2 glasses of what Josie can only assume is whiskey.

 

“Lizzie, where did you even get the whiskey from?”

 

"Stefan's stash… Now come on, don't be a pussy."

 

"Fine… But if they catch you, I am throwing you to the wolves."

 

“Yeah, yeah… I don’t think you will pass up the opportunity to play the hero and do the ultimate sacrifice. Titanic’s Jack Dawson ain’t got nothing on you, baby sis”.

 

"We're twins, airhead! Anyway, Chin-Chin"

 

Lizzie and Josie drink and feel the scorching liquid taking over their throat. A certain ease alleviates their body, and Josie finds herself enjoying the liquid courage.

 

She is definitely not against soothing her impulses tonight.

 

“Alcohol always tastes better when it's stolen”.

 

“Famous last words."

 

"If you say so!"

 

"Okay let’s go Liz before they start spiking the punch with 600 different types of liquor… It always smells like a hospital at the end of the night”.  

 

“Yeah, Jed tends to apply - the more, the merrier - approach to justify almost everything, including alcohol abuse, I suppose”.

 

 

Lizzie takes Josie’s hand, and they head out to the old mill behind the school. The place is crowded with people, loud music is clouding the atmosphere, dim lights are hung between trees and the air is reeking of alcohol.

 

"Guess we're too late! We'll just have to stick to beer tonight, baby sis… "

 

"Yup!"

 

"Oh, I see Rafael… Catch you later, Baby-sis!"

 

Josie ignores the brooding looks and dives into the crowd toward the alcohol table, looking for beer. At least that was what she initially intended to do before a certain black leather jacket stuck to her front brutally.

Auburn hair, in a ponytail, touch her neck delicately and tickle her pulse point.

 

A feeling of recognition takes over, and she realizes with mixed feelings that Hope is being backed up into her, by none other than Maya.

 

The girl is practically pouncing on Hope’s hips, and Hope finds herself levitating backward straight into the brunette. 

 

Maya is wearing a see-through dress, which is as tight as they come… Granted, the girl looks really, really good in it, kind of like a supermodel with her tanned skin, flawless body, and raven black hair.

And Josie has never been one to contest women empowerment, but at this moment, she is finding it really hard not to cover Hope's eyes and is fidgeting with the sleeve ends of her blouse.

 

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to… Huh… Josie?" 

 

Feeling Hope's breath hovering on her neck sends shivers down Josie's spine.

 

Hope looks edible.

 

The brunette has never felt the need to use such a word, but there is no other way to describe how good Hope looks right now. 

 

A skinny black jeans hugs her silhouette and emphasizes her beautiful curves, high black boots offer her a slight height boost, A v neck shirt shows just the right amount of cleavage to tease any curious eyes and leave them wanting more, and a smoking hot leather jacket wraps up the look to perfection. 

 

Hope is oozing sexiness, and Josie finds herself hesitating for a moment before responding.

 

“Oh, so now you're suddenly talking to me again. How fortunate for me.”

 

A look of hurt suddenly flashes in Hope's eyes. And Josie's "spidey-senses" are screaming for her to run away.

 

Hope tries to grab Josie's wrist, but the brunette continues her stride towards the alcohol, ignoring the husky voice calling her name. 

 

Nope, she is not getting entangled in a dance with Hope and Maya. 

 

She's not stooping that low… Not even for those blue eyes. 

 

No.

 

Sorry libido.

 

Not today…

 

hope-mikaelson-leather-jacket

 

Beer will not be enough… Punch it is.

 

It’s not like the night could get any worse.

 

Spoken like a true optimist, a little too soon…

 

“Come on everyone, we're playing spin the bottle, get your asses in here”, Jed is shouting at the top of his lungs.

 

People start rushing in like a flock of seagulls fleeing rain season.

 

Fuck! This has Lizzie written all over it. 

 

And right on cue, just like clockwork, the eccentric blond is heading over to Josie with a smile on her face and a threat in her gaze.

 

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Oh, sweet Lord help me, thinks Josie… 

 

Looking at the rainbow punch, Josie decides to refill her cup before getting propelled into the mill by her sister without any introductions or patience…

Chapter 14: Caught between a rock and a hard place

Chapter Text

The bottle is pointing at Landon and MG. 

 

“Okay bird boy, the bottle has spoken; do your thing.” 

 

“Curious to know why you chose bird boy as an insult?”

 

“How clueless can a person be? Fine, I'll explain it to you in simple words little Hobbit. 1 - Boy has Hair, 2 - Hair looks like Bird-nest ergo, 3 - Boy is called Bird-Boy ... Duh, and you're welcome.”

 

Josie pinches her sister and whispers subtle words in her ears, telling her to stop insulting the poor boy.

 

“Whatever Lizzie. Truth or Dare, MG?”

 

“Truth”

 

"Okay, mmm… I know!"

 

"Okay."

 

"Describe the girl you like."

 

What is this kindergarten?

 

“BOUUUUUUUU, Booo-ring. Grow a spine, Bird-Boy”, smirks Jed. 

 

“More like Fluff-Boy” mutters Alyssa to her league of evil comrades, who burst out laughing.

 

Landon is wondering why he even comes to these parties.

 

“Shut it, Alyssa” growls Josie.

 

She can’t believe Lizzie and Alyssa finally agree on something, and it turns out to be humiliating "poor old Landon".

 

I guess the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

 

MG is not listening to the exchanges taking place. His mind is in its own sudden, all-consuming daze.

 

Should he answer truthfully? I mean these are, in theory, the rules of the game.

He knows he loves Lizzie and has long ago decided that it’s better to have her in his life, even if it's only for a bit, than not to have her at all.

He has long ago decided that he was willing to put himself second, to put his needs last even, and put up with all the hurt, just to be next to her.

He just wanted Lizzie to be happy.

And if she was happy with someone else, then so be it.

He has long ago decided that he wouldn’t stand in her way; he would be next to her always and forever, in whatever capacity he could, wherever she sees it fit.

Did it hurt? Yeah, it hurt like hell, seeing her with all these obnoxious dumbasses that didn’t deserve her.

Contender after contender came and went like clockwork; only wanting Lizzie for her body or her reputation, treating her like an easy prey when all she has ever wanted was to be loved, and little did she know, she was, indeed, loved. 

He loved her like no other and knew he always would. 

How could he not?

How could he not when Lizzie was just so damn Lizzie…

 

Source:https://tenor.com/view/mg-legacies-smile-twitch-lips-gif-14581475

His thoughts suddenly crossed mental boundaries and dived into the real world, flowing out of his mouth, without permission, like a cascade forcefully taking everything along its way, and take, it did.

“She is everything a guy could wish for,” a blush takes over his cheeks but he keeps on going “She is passionate and determined, always striving for whatever goal she has decided to reach. She is kind-hearted and loyal to a fault, always fighting for the people she loves with no restraint and no boundaries. And she is just herself… I think that’s what I love most of all about her. She gives no excuses for who she is, she is herself and that’s enough for her, as it should be.  I can go on all night, but I think you get the gist of it.”

Lizzie is hanging on his every word, part of her submerging in the description, a portrayal that sounds familiar. 

Was he talking about her? Did he see passion in her obsessions?

Determination in her impatience and eagerness?

Loyalty in her co-dependence?

Self-confidence in her stubbornness?

Strengths in her faults?

Did he just say he loved that about her?

 

No way is he talking about her. He would have told her… I mean they have been best friends all her life. 

 

But who could he be talking about?

 

She has known him for years. She would have known if there was someone else… 

 

Her dad always had said: Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth, and her head was currently spinning a long thread of truths.

 

Lizzie catches MG looking at her, holding his breath, as if his life depended on her looking back, and after their eyes meet, after both gazes are locked for one instant, a moment that feels like an eternity to the spectators, he averts his gaze suddenly and excuses himself, heading towards the restroom.

Lizzie’s blue eyes are trailing him, her mouth agape.

 

Josie gulps.

 

Penelope follows him and bumps into Hope on her way.

 

The latter is watching the scene from afar, not participating in the game.

 

No one is really surprised that Hope Andrea Mikealson didn't want to play… 

 

But even knowing this in advance didn't stop a certain someone from being disappointed. I mean, who wouldn’t want to prod at that girl all night long.

 

Lizzie’s haze is interrupted when the bottle points at Rafael and Jed.

 

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“Truth or dare, man?”

 

“Truth”

 

"Okay. I'll keep it simple. Is the girl or guy you like playing with us?" 

 

Jed winks at him and grins like he is uncovering the mystery of the century. Agatha Christy is certainly twisting in her grave at his audacity.

 

Josie looks at Jed in horror as the plot thickens, and bites her lower lip… Her numb breath is detained in her thoracic cage and halts there like a docile hostage.

 

Lizzie on the other side of the fence looks pleased though and eagerly awaits Rafael’s response, her breath roaming around her body, empowering her being and shaking everything in its path like a disobedient fugitive.

 

One lays like a hostage and the other runs like a fugitive… 

And then there is the one caught in between. 

T he third party has a taunting ultimatum to face: Is he the oppressor or the liberator? 

Caught between a rock and a hard place.

 

“Yes, she is”.

 

Alyssa smirks and appears to be in thought. God help us all.

 

When that girl uses her brain, it is never a good sign…

 

The snake is awake, and venom will be released ... Sooner or later.

 

Lizzie is taken over by a never-ending ecstasy… She secretly thinks or hopes it’s her he's talking about.

 

Josie kind of knows it’s her, but hopes she's mistaken, for the good of all mankind.

 

Hope raises her eyebrow and looks at Josie, noticing her uncomfortable stance. Hope’s glance somehow calms and softens the storm in Josie’s heart.

 

That stare should be illegal… an arrestable offence thinks Josie, much to her dismay.

 

“Okay, let’s get serious now! Turn the bottle fluffy” Alyssa eyes Landon as he turns the bottle, and as if by magic it points at her and Maya. What is this sorcery?

Let's have some fun, she thinks.

 

The Grinch is stealing Christmas early this year…

 

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“So, Maya… Truth or Dare?”

 

“Dare. Let’s shake things up a bit.”

 

“Oh, I like the way you think. Go give your crush a lap dance.”

 

Maya stares at Hope like a lion eyeing its prey. The alcohol in her system makes things easier for better or for worse… 

 

She steps out of the circle and heads toward the auburn-haired girl. 

 

Guilt flashes in blue eyes but are quickly replaced by a neutral gaze. Hope doesn't move and takes on her punishment or reward like a champ.

 

Josie has her eyes closed at first… She really doesn't want to witness this. 

 

Whatever this is. She doesn't think she will recover from it. Her eyes betray her though… Like everything else in her body, whenever Hope is present. The traitors widen and lure her face to the side, just enough for her to witness the seduction ritual happening near her.

 

Maya is mounting Hope like a pole, rising, falling, touching, and teasing… Josie is unable to breathe, and then out of nowhere, her tormentor looks her in the eyes. 

 

 

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/730075789588115674/

 

 

Everyone is cheering and smirking. Phones are recording and guys are drooling… Josie is taken aback by blue eyes trailing her, challenging her…

 

Why is Hope looking at her like that, when she's clearly being adored by someone else? 

Josie doesn't know why or when Maya stops and gets back to the circle… 

Because chocolate eyes are still hypnotized by their blue peers.

 

“You're welcome for the show. Donations are appreciated.” sneers Maya.

 

 

Hope reverts her eyes to her phone… Like nothing happened and looks disinterested, unfazed, void of emotions.

 

And here we go, the vicious circle is resurrecting once again.

 

Josie needs another drink… And, Jed’s cup is full.

 

Oh, what the hell… What’s one more drink in the scheme of things?

 

Josie is in too deep, and although she realizes it, she somehow continues digging her own grave.

 

Does she realize, she is shooting herself in the foot? Probably.

 

Will she stop shooting? Probably Not.

 

That is the beauty of mixing Alcohol and Denial, the consequences don't mean much anymore.

 

It's a problem for tomorrow's Josie.

 

So… Just like that, Jed soon finds himself without a drink and Josie starts to swirl deeper and heavier.

 

The bottle starts spinning again and soon points at Rafael and Alyssa. O’Oh.

 

This is not good. Realization hits Josie hard.

 

There are going to be casualties, and Josie knows it even before finding out what Alyssa’s plan is. 

 

Alyssa doesn’t lose time and throws the first bait.

 

“Let’s make things more challenging. No more truth”.

 

Cups are raised, and laughs are heard…the crowd seems to be pleased and ushering Alyssa to continue, which encourages Alyssa to resume her witch-hunt. 

 

“Okay, tall dark and handsome; it’s your lucky day. Go kiss your crush.” 

 

Oh, how the tables have turned.

 

Hope’s gaze is suddenly abducted and thrown on Rafael…

 

Is he really going to kiss Josie in front of everyone? In front of her twin? The twin who's in love with him…

 

Lizzie, clueless, licks her lips and awaits her prince charming.

 

Oh Lizzie, if only you remembered that the devil doesn't come dressed in a red cape and pointy horns.

 

He often comes as everything you've ever wished for…

 

Josie swallows hard and attempts to throw dissuading looks at Rafael.

 

The latter, once again, finds himself caught between a rock and a hard place…

 

Peyton-Alex-Smith-in-Legacies

 

 

 

 

Chapter 15: Is that all you want to be?

Chapter Text

Rafael is drowning in turmoil.

 

“Tick-Tock lover-boy. Landon’s bedtime is fast approaching, make it quick” smirks Alyssa.

 

“Did she just call me by my name?” grins Landon.

 

Maya, unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity of the boy, shakes her head in disbelief.

 

Really? This is the part he focused on.

 

How are these people, high school seniors? she wondered.

 

The crowd was getting impatient, and Rafael was overwhelmed by a hostile heat taking over his limp body.

Two roads were portrayed in his mind, but to his own astonishment, none of them seemed to have a good outcome.

He never was one to pursue optimal peaks, being more the kind of guy that settles for good rather than great; climbing a mountain for the pleasure of it, following the snow line, reaching one of the many ledges, settling for the view ahead without looking up… Without intending to reach the highest ledge or touch the mountain’s summit.

At least, that was the case before meeting Josie... And wanting Josie... And needing Josie.

The brunette turned his life upside down, flipped it over like it was nothing more than an omelet on a pan.

Would he even want to settle for less than Josie?

Can a man even settle for water, after tasting the nectar of gods?

Would he give up his chance at true love?

 

It didn’t matter, he thought. His opportunity was lost either way. All roads lead to Rome they say, and if he was being honest with himself, he knew that his Rome, whatever road he took, didn't include Josie.

He could see no good coming from either of the decisions which were gently laid ahead of him.

He had even witnessed the chain of reactions uncovering in his head.

A domino effect, that was naked and bare, showing every piece of the puzzle unmistakably, emphasizing a binding cumulative effect, setting off heartbreak after heartbreak and leading to his immediate downfall.  

 

1 - If he kissed Lizzie, he would fail his heart and break Josie’s heart in the process.

2 - If he Kissed Josie, he would fail Lizzie and break Josie’s heart in the process.

In a nutshell, it seemed like he could either fulfill his own desires or fulfill Lizzie’s desires, but both would ultimately break Josie’s heart and lead to his downfall.

 

Thanks for this, Alyssa.

 

The inevitable couldn't be postponed anymore and Rafael knew he couldn't escape this any longer. So, he stood up and slowly started marching toward the twins. 

How fortunate that they were sitting next to each other. This meant he had a few more seconds to change his mind. 

Lizzie was leaning over, and Josie was recoiling...

 

And although kissing Lizzie sounded like a wiser plan at this point, with less backlash.

 

Selfish longing and craving pushed Rafael to Lizzie’s left, and the chain of reactions was launched.

 

1 - Shocked blond - Check.

2 - Angry Brunette - Check.

3 - Boy's downfall - Check.

 

Oh, but what do we have here? An unforeseen reaction and a new player joining in.

4 - Fuming Auburn-haired girl - Check.

 

Hope was witnessing the fiasco in slow-motion, her heart beating uncomfortably fast. When has she ever been this possessive?

 

When has she ever been this possessive?

 

Granted, the Mikealsons are possessive by nature, but she never felt the need to be. 

 

What was Josie doing to her unwavering neutral stance?

 

Hope was taken aback by Rafael's figure cravingly chasing Josie's pouty lips.

 

She slowly witnessed as he gradually bowed down, closed his eyes, and approached the brunette's face...

 

Hope was holding her breath, nearly suffocating...until Josie jaggedly dodged her attacker.

 

The brunette tilted her head to the side and pushed Rafael back.

 

“What the hell are you doing?” Josie shrieked.

 

“O'OH, THE PLOT THICKENS. Didn’t see that coming”, says Alyssa feigning shock.

 

“Shut up Alyssa. No one is buying your crap today”, scolds Maya.

 

Rafael is taken aback. Lizzie finds herself running away. And Josie, unfortunate Josie, is lost. She should follow her sister and explain, she knows that much. But as she attempts to stand up, a hand stops her. 

 

MG?

"Give her some time or it will blow in your face, trust me."

 

That was sound advice. She knew that.

 

But she also knew she needed to explain things to Lizzie.

 

She hoped Lizzie would believe that this betrayal wasn’t intended and that she never encouraged it.

 

She sits back down, looking straight ahead, and notices blue eyes looking back at her full of kindness and worry.

 

Not shockingly, but much to her dismay, Hope’s gaze lingers, then worry turns into resentment one last time before going numb.  

 

Jade, sensing Josie’s lethal collapse, hands her a drink. “Thought this might help a bit. Bourbon never fails me”, she promises the brunette, whilst flashing her smoldering smile. “Want to go out for air?”

 

Josie nods then takes the drink without hesitation and follows Jade.

 

Going out was definitely a good idea.

 

The brunette finds herself enjoying the fresh air and almost starts relaxing... When a rough voice pulls her back to the real world.  

 

“Josie, can we please talk?”

 

Rafael had followed her out. Of course. 

 

What is it with guys and rejection? 

 

Is he in some sort of eternal denial? 

 

Why isn't he getting it?

 

Josie attempts to flee. But Rafael once again catches her wrists.

 

Déjà vu...

 

“Hey, not cool man” interjects Jade, moving towards them. 

 

But before she could intervene, someone shoves Rafael away from Josie.  

 

“No means No. Hasn’t your mommy ever taught you that?” growls the auburn-haired girl.

 

“Well, we can’t all have mommies like you princess”, answered Rafael in an irritated voice.

 

Hope flinches for a second, but then an unwavering resolve sparks, and she directs her irritated gaze at Rafael. 

 

“Leave her alone. You clearly are drunk and so is she. Go sober up... And maybe tomorrow, if you're lucky, you can talk to her, and only if she wants to give you the time of day. Got it? I WON’T REPEAT MYSELF AGAIN.”

 

Blue eyes become as dark as night. Hope attempts to shelter Josie and pushes her gently behind her, whilst clenching her jaw and pursuing the staring contest with Rafael.

 

It feels like Rafael is thinking about retaliating, shoving Hope to the floor.

 

He has never been one to hit a girl, but that bitch had it coming, he thought.

 

His hands start moving and he launches a fist in the air.

 

Hope tries to cover Josie as much as possible and prepares to block (courtesy of her martial art lessons), when a freaked-out Landon intrudes, pulling Rafael away.

 

Josie takes the signal and pulls Hope to the side of the building.

 

“Hey man let’s have a walk” she hears Landon saying to Rafael.

 

Josie is leaning on the wall for a second catching her breath when she hears Hope panting and notices that her fists are clenched. Hope’s nails are digging in her skin, and Josie just loses her mind.

 

The brunette hugs Hope from behind, and like magic, Hope’s anger floats away.

 

“Uhm…Josie, what are you doing?”

 

“I have wanted to do that all day. You're always so sad Hopey. I just wanted to give you a hug. Hugs always cheer me up.” Josie grins at Hope and looks at her innocently like she just gave her the most logical explanation. 

 

“Hopey? How drunk are you, Jo?” Hope’s gaze is laced with concern.

 

“Just a tad, I'm afraid. How come you're not drunk Hopey?”

 

“Can you stop calling me that? Anyway... I didn’t feel like drinking today”.

 

"Oh! Okay. No problem. Well...HOPE, I'm sorry that you had to intervene. But thank you... Rafael is not normally like this". 

 

“It’s okay. I would have done it for anyone. Your boyfriend was acting like a major asshole, and it seemed like he was hurting you… Whatever. Come on let me take you to your room.”

 

She would have done it for anyone?... wow, okay. 

 

Josie thought she came to protect her. Boy, was she wrong!

 

She felt so stupid right now. Hope just came and saved the stupid drunk girl. It didn't matter who the drunk girl was. 

 

That's just how Hope operates.

 

“I don’t know what you're talking about. I don’t have a boyfriend."

 

"Uhuh.."

 

"Anyway, you don’t have to take care of me. I'm not drunk, so you can go back to grinding with Maya” answers Josie way too defensively.

 

Oh, yeah! Good for you Josie… dig yourself a larger grave.

 

Screenshot-2022-03-29-at-15-35-46

 

Hope raises her eyebrow playfully. She had to admit, she liked what she heard.

 

1 - Either drunk Josie forgot she had a boyfriend, or

 

2 - The brunette decided she was ditching him, or

 

3 - Rafael was never her boyfriend…

 

Mm, interesting.

 

Or was it? Why did she care anyway?

 

She doesn’t, she decides...

 

“I don’t think it's any of your business who I grind or don’t grind with”.

 

Hope turns around and looks Josie straight in the eyes.

 

"First of all, it's Whom, not who!" 

 

1-0 for me, thinks Josie before beaming like an idiot. Okay, focus Josie, this isn't the SATs, 

 

"And second why are you so mean to me?" Josie pokes Hope's arm sternly.

 

"Why do you care so much?" Hope frowns.

 

“Because I can’t understand you. I keep trying to be your friend and you keep shutting me out. It's so frustrating” says Josie with the cutest pout that Hope has ever seen in her life.

 

Hope just wants to kiss it...And therein lies the slippery slope.

 

Hope’s demeanor completely changes. She lays her hand on the wall next to Josie’s head, leans over gradually, and smirks teasingly at the brunette.

 

“Oh, is that all you want to be? My friend?”

 

Blue eyes are challenging chocolate eyes, catching them in a boundless pull.

 

Cockiness is oozing from Hope's gaze, and the auburn-haired girl feels the effect she has on the brunette.

 

Her gaze lingers, and a spell is uttered. 

 

Josie is shaking and biting her lower lip.

 

Her long lashes are thrusting at a quicker pace, and her heartbeat has skyrocketed.

 

She closes her eyes and grounds herself for a second before she catches Hope’s wrists suddenly and looks at her endearingly...

 

“I don’t know. I just know... I know that I want to be close to you.”

 

Josie’s honesty takes Hope off guard, and the spell is abruptly broken.

 

The blue-eyed girl stumbles back and looks at her feet like she is unsure of how to respond.

 

Silence lingers before Hope painfully bursts Josie’s bubble. “People that are close to me end up dead.” 

 

“Why?” Josie’s lips form an o, and she finds herself at a loss of words.

 

“A story for another day, I'm afraid. Come on let’s get you to bed.” Hope takes Josie by the waist and carries her to her room.

 

“Are you crazy? Let me down”.

 

“Stop moving. Just relax, we're almost there.” Hope gently puts Josie down and opens her door.

 

“Uhm… Why are we in your room?”

 

“I figured you might not want to sleep with Lizzie tonight, after everything that happened.”

 

“Well. Thank you but ...This is crazy. I can’t take your bed. Where will you sleep?”

 

“I’ll sleep on the floor Saltzman! Don’t worry”.

 

Josie starts pouting.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“I prefer when you call me Jo”.

 

“Okay Jo, come on, get under the cover”.

 

Josie does as instructed. 

 

"Good girl." Josie smiles at the praise. 

 

Hope pulls the cover and conceals Josie’s body completely.

 

She looks at the floor, already regretting her decision. This will be a long night.

 

“Hope?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“I'm scared” Josie hesitates for a second, “I'm scared that my sister will never forgive me. I did an unforgivable thing and I lied to her for a very long time...I didn’t mean to. I really didn’t.”

 

Josie's voice breaks, drowning in guilt.

 

And it seems like she is trying to convince herself of her good intentions. Like she isn't even sure anymore. 

 

Tears are sliding down her face, and Josie starts sobbing, shielding her face with her arms.

 

Hope’s hands are shaking, but she knows she needs to calm Josie down.

 

She carefully approaches the brunette and hugs her tenderly.

 

Josie is shocked at first, but then relaxes and leans in, sinking deeper into Hope.

 

 

“It’s okay Jo. Your sister will understand. You were doing what you thought was best for her, and trying to protect her.” Hope starts circling her palm on Josie’s back trying to soothe her, “Next time, you should maybe give her a bit more credit and tell her the truth. You two seem to be very close, and it’s obvious that she loves you a lot, or else she wouldn’t have felt so betrayed.”

 

“I really don’t handle confrontations well…”

 

“It’s okay, relax now, and we can talk about it tomorrow”.

 

 

Josie starts calming down, then moves back, and looks at Hope with piercing dark brown eyes.

 

She seems to want to say something and somehow finds the courage to let the words out.

 

“Uhm. Can you stay with me tonight?”

 

“I'm right here if you need anything.”

 

“No, I mean… Can we keep hugging in bed? Lizzie usually cuddles with me when I am upset. It helps me sleep.”

 

“I don’t think it’s a great idea, Jo. I'm not much of a cuddler.”

 

“Please?”

 

Chocolate eyes are begging blue eyes, and Josie’s voice becomes more pleading.

 

She even starts pouting as if sealing the deal and imploring Hope once more.

 

Not this pout again...

 

How is Hope supposed to say NO to these pouty lips?

 

“Okay fine... But I am the big spoon!”

 

“Sure, you are, Baby.” Josie is giggling and eyeing Hope’s small figure.

 

Even drunk Josie knows how adorable this is.

 

Did Josie just call her Baby?

 

What the hell did Hope just get herself into?

 

 

 

Chapter 16: Where is Ursula?

Chapter Text

Mikealsons had always expected ubiquitous, omnipresent, and ever-lasting control. Even in chaos, Mikealsons expected supremacy. In a world where the law of the jungle prevailed, they were the lions, kings of said jungle and everyone else was ally, foe, or prey. Sometimes these lines were blurry, and foe, prey, and alley would interchange. Ally would become foe or prey. Foe would become prey or even ally. And prey would become ally or even foe. Through all the fluctuations, one thing that remained constant was the supremacy of the Mikealsons. That was how Hope was raised; what she was taught by her family.

 

Always and Forever.

 

Mikealsons were impulsive...

 

They loved a lot, but also hurt a lot.

 

Sometimes these lines were also blurry, and love and hurt would mingle and fuse.

 

Mikealsons were loyal to a fault.

 

When they loved, there were no boundaries to said love.

 

Mikealsons were dedicated to a fault.

 

When they hurt, there were no boundaries to said hurt.

 

And quite often…they found themselves hurting the ones they loved, in a haze of loyalty, control, and all-consuming love.

 

That was how Hope was raised; what she was taught by her family.

 

 

Hope’s room:

 

 

 

 

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/544654148692279790/

 

Hope opens her eyes and is taken aback by numerous shallow breaths tickling her neck, and warm arms wrapping around her body.

 

She woke up and found herself in a cocoon of comfort.

 

Josie is sleeping on her chest. She looks so peaceful, so serene. Her chest heaving slightly, "rising and falling" distracts Hope’s gaze for a few seconds, minutes, or hours.

 

Who knows?

 

How is this so relaxing, yet so taunting? Hope has never been one to dwell on silly things, but being a Mikealson, meant she expected utter control.

 

And although she wasn’t sure what she was feeling right now; wasn’t sure what this was.

 

She was certain of one thing: she did not feel in control.

 

And so, the flight response kicked in. She looked at the alarm clock on her nightstand and was shocked to see that it was 4 am.

 

Well, she won’t be able to fall asleep again anyway, even if she wanted to.

 

Her thoughts were roaming around her mind and heart, trailed by perpetual rhetorical questions. Questions she didn’t have the answers for. Questions she didn’t want the answers for. For now, at least.

 

Maybe a jog would help her get out of her head.

 

Hope regretfully tries to get out of Josie’s warm embrace.

 

“Mmmm…”

 

“Hey shhh…go back to sleep. I won’t be long”.

 

The brunette shudders a bit, before relaxing and hugging Hope’s pillow.

 

Hope is taken over by a shy smile and rosy cheeks. She quickly puts on a legging and a sweater and leaves the room quietly.

 

 

 

At 7 am sharp, the door is banging like crazy… What the hell is wrong with people here?

 

Hope, having taken a shower already, rapidly puts on random shorts and a shirt and meets the mystery visitor outside.

 

Hoping Josie hasn’t woken up already, she closes the door behind her, after tip-toeing out.

 

“What is it, Elizabeth? IT IS 7 AM FOR GOD’S SAKE.”

 

“Where is she?”

 

“Where is who?”

 

“Where is Ursula?”

 

Hope frowns not expecting this question and grows frustrated by the second but finds herself responding, nonetheless.  

 

“Oh, how I wish that were true. Maybe then she would have stolen your nagging voice, little mermaid!”

 

“Yeah, well that bitch stole my boyfriend, and then just left. Poof. No excuses or apologies. Thank God that MG actually gave a fuck, or else I would have been alone. What kind of sister does that?”

 

Hope raises her eyebrows and reluctantly asks “How did you know she was here anyway?”

 

“A few witnesses have confirmed that they saw her going in your room.”

 

“Witnesses? Really Lizzie? This isn’t criminal minds… Anyway, can you calm down? She is sleeping and she was very upset yesterday. Besides from what I understand he wasn’t even your boyfriend”.

 

“You don’t… You don’t get it Hope!” squeals Lizzie, her voice slightly breaking.

 

Oh, she called her Hope. Probably didn’t mean to, but this was progress, nevertheless. 

 

Lizzie’s tears were rolling down her face. It seemed like she hadn’t slept a wink last night. She started fidgeting at that point and was on the verge of another anxiety attack. 

 

“Hey, Hey, listen to me. breathe… in, out, in, out. Just breathe with me.” Hope replaying a distant memory in her head, knew how to react.

 

Lizzie’s body loosened, finding solace in replication; her breath and Hope’s breath were now echoing in her mind, synchronized and soothing. In, Out, In, and Out. Her breathing was almost back to normal and she found herself repeating her words “You… You don’t understand.”

 

Hope ushers them both to the floor. They sit next to each other and Hope carefully addresses the issue.

 

“Okay, make me understand then. It might help to let it all out to a stranger”.

 

“You won’t get it! And besides, you don’t even care so what’s the point?”

 

“Even better. It means, I probably won’t remember this conversation tomorrow. Just try and explain…even if I'm the devil incarnate”

 

“Fine. The thing is…I mean, I…It’s just that… Rafael is kind and amazing and let’s face it super-Hot…” Hope rolls her eyes, but nods in Lizzie’s direction, encouraging her to continue.   

 

“He is the first guy that I have liked since forever and he's just so sweet. I am a lot of things, but sweet is not one of them. Or at least that’s not how others see me. And I'm kind of scared."

 


"Of what?"

 

"I mean if he doesn’t like me, WHO WOULD? I'm basically a charity case at this point."

 

"Don't say that."

 

"People think they’re clever, whispering behind my back, but I hear them, I hear everything, and I know what they think. And yes, it makes me want to be rude and scary because it’s just easier than taking it all in.”

 

Lizzie’s tears are raging at this point, rushing to reach her jaw in a compelling race. “He never once made me feel like I was a mental case and when we slept together, it felt amazing. If I felt so much, how come he didn’t feel the same? How can this be one-sided? And why did he sleep with me if he liked my sister? I don’t fucking get it.”

 

Hope breathes in. She thinks about Lizzie’s words and how to soothe her. She finds herself whispering, still drowning in her thoughts.

 

“Look Saltzman, people talk. That’s just the way things are. And at first, it bothered me too. But trust me, that doesn’t mean shit if you choose to do what you want in the end. And yes, I said choose. Because it’s your choice Elizabeth. Whether you listen or not. It’s your choice. No one will ever take that away from you. But yes, people will talk. So what? Let them. At the end of the day, you only have control over what you say and what you do. Thinking about things you have no control over, will amount to nothing, won’t change anything and it will only hurt you.”

 

Lizzie nods, her gaze focused on the auburn-haired girl’s words like this speech was feeding a craving hunger deep within her. Maybe it felt nice to hear this from someone other than her sister. I mean, Josie is her twin; She kind of has to love her. It’s just how things are supposed to be. But this stranger doesn’t really care. She barely knows her. And honestly, it is satisfying to know that other people struggle with things like that too.

 

“Besides the people that love you; they’ll be here for you regardless of everything and won’t even care about gossip. I get that whatever you thought you had with Rafael felt a lot, but you shouldn’t assume that he felt the same way. I know it’s hard to hear and I'm sorry, but it’s the truth. And ignoring the fact that he shouldn’t have slept with you in the first place if he didn’t have feelings for you without being honest at least, I still think you should talk to him about this. Hear him out, maybe he has an explanation. Maybe he doesn’t. But at least, you will know all the facts, and you will be able to deal with it, however you please.”

 

What an eloquent speech, Hope thinks almost laughing at herself… Her uncle Elijah had really rubbed off on her, it seems. That man lives for eloquence and courtesy. And it looks like Hope has been infected too.

 

Hope looks at Lizzie to see if she can continue. Lizzie nods.  “Your sister has nothing to do with how Rafael feels. Yes, she should have told you the truth and yes, she will have to deal with the aftermath of not doing that: but it doesn’t change things between you and Rafael. That only depends on you both… For what it’s worth, Josie was crying all night and practically had alcohol poisoning because she was so worried about your reaction. She knows she made a mistake, trust me. But I don’t think she intended to do it. I think she wanted to protect you and was just dragging things out because she was afraid to hurt you. So, hear her out. And then decide how you want to deal with that too”.

 

“Tell her to come talk to me when she wakes up. I’ll be waiting in our room” says Lizzie in a low hesitant voice.

 

“I will pass on the message. For the record, I think you are wrong about people not liking you, and I'm sure you may have more than one admirer on your hand”. Hope doesn’t want to mention MG but hopes that Lizzie gets the message.

 

Lizzie seems deep in thought and then smiles.

 

“Thanks. See you, I guess... Oh, and BTW MIKEALSON, MENTION THIS CONVERSATION TO ANYONE AND YOU ARE DEAD MEAT…” Lizzie makes the throat slash sign, with a serious face on.

 

And... The Bitch is Back.

 

“Whatever. Bye Saltzman”.

 

She definitely needs coffee after this. What is it with her need to comfort the Saltzman twins? She should have just enjoyed the blood bath. But no, her stupid heart keeps pushing her towards people.

 

 

Cafeteria - 8 AM:

 

Hope is early for breakfast but doesn't intend to stay long. She's just picking up coffee for her, and some croissants for Josie. The brunette will probably be hungry when she wakes up.  

 

A commotion is shrieking and high tension is building up in the dining hall. Hope approaches the scene, following the loud voices, and sees Rafael shouting in front of a shocked Mr. Salvatore. 

 

"Calm down Mr. Waithe. I'm sure he is okay. Maybe, he's just taking a morning walk."

 

"No, he didn't come back last night! And he isn't answering my calls or texts. It's not like him. She did something to him...I'm sure."

 

"Who? What are you talking about? Are you hungover?"

 

"There she is!"

 

Hope doesn't get a chance to respond. An accusatory fist grabs her by the neck and pushes her to the door.

 

“What did you do to him, you witch?”

 

Mr. Salvatore is right behind Rafael and holds him back, shoving him away from Hope.

 

“Unhand her right now, Mr. Waithe. What do you think you're doing." Stefan looks pissed, "Miss Mikealson? are you okay?” he asks, his voice laced with concern.

 

Hope nods, but is abruptly taken over by shock. She remains speechless, her palms unconsciously massaging her sore throat and her pupils dilated. She barely stops herself from retaliating and tries to understand what the hell is going on.  

 

“What was that Mr. Waithe? We do not condone violence in this school. Explain now”.

 

“Landon didn’t come back to the dorm yesterday. I can’t find him anywhere.”

 

He then charges towards Hope, Mr. Salvatore barely managing to stop him “WHEN HE LEFT, HE SAID HE WAS GOING TO TALK TO YOU! And now no one knows where he is. What did you do to him you psycho???”

 

 

Chapter 17: The sheets felt so cold and somber

Chapter Text

“Mr. Waithe, care to explain why you decided to attack Miss Mikealson?” Miss Forbes was certainly not happy about this.

 

“And to add insult to injury, you thought doing it on school grounds was a good idea?”

 

“That’s not the point Stefan. We do not condone violence full stop. It doesn’t matter if it’s outside of school or not. Violence is never the answer Mr. Waithe. Now let’s get on with it. I’ve decided to include Miss Tig, and Miss Benet in this meeting, due to the delicacy of the issue. Mr. Salvatore and Miss Mikealson who were present this morning, will obviously also stay. Could you carefully explain what happened yesterday and why you decided that attacking Hope was such a brilliant idea?”

 

Source: https://wifflegif.com/gifs/342605-the-vampire-diaries-caroline-forbes-gif

 

“I explained it already to Mr. Salvatore!” retorts Rafael, clearly still struggling with his anger.

 

“Hey, hey. Relax Rafael. This is a safe space. We are on the same side here. We just want to help. We all want you and Mr. Kirby to be safe and sound. Help us help you.” Interjects Miss Tig.

 

“Mr. Salvatore did indeed tell us his side of the story, but we would like to hear yours, If that’s okay with you” finishes Miss Benet. The latter oversaw the public relations office at the school, and if one may say so, she was damn good at her job. Maybe one of the best.

 

“Landon, my roommate… kind of disappeared. He was with me yesterday, took me back to my room. Then he left, saying he won’t be long. He wanted to talk to her… I don’t know about what. But he said he would be back.”

 

“Okay, Mr. Waithe. Why did you need help going back to your room.? Were you drunk? Was he also drunk?” asked Miss Forbes in a scolding tone.

 

“Yes, I was wasted. I don’t think Landon was though, he was only tipsy, I guess. He seemed okay though before he left.”

 

“And you are sure that he told you he was going to talk to Miss Mikealson?” Miss Benet doesn’t seem so convinced.

 

“Yes, I am 100% sure. I distinctly remember.”

 

“But weren’t you drunk? Would it be a possibility to assume that you misheard him?” asked Miss Tig carefully.

 

“No…I didn’t mishear him. He was going on and on about talking to her all day long. He wanted to ask her out. He wouldn’t shut up about it. I just wanted him to shut up. And now, I wish he would just come back and nag all day.” Rafael started fidgeting uncomfortably.

 

“Okay. It’s going to be okay. Mr. Kirby must be close. He probably fell asleep somewhere or went for a walk. Mr. Donovan (the gatekeeper) will check everywhere. I'm sure we will find him.” Miss Forbes places her hand on Rafael’s hand and squeezes it, looking at him in a kindhearted gaze.

 

“Mr. Waith, at what time did Mr. Kirby leave?”

 

“I think it was between 2 and 5 am…I'm not sure. I fell asleep right after he left, and I didn’t get a chance to check the time.”

 

“Miss Mikealson, are you sure you didn’t see Mr. Kirby between 2 and 5?”

 

“Yes, Miss Forbes, I'm sure. I saw Mr. Kirby at the party but then I left.”

 

“Party?” Bonnie, Caroline, Emma, and Stefan snapped.

 

“She means gathering.” Intervenes Rafael, looking angrily at the new oblivious student. How many more problems will this girl create?

 

“Okay. We will talk about this later. Miss Mikealson what did you do after leaving the party and was someone with you? I mean can someone corroborate your story to ease Mr. Waithe’s concerns.”

 

Yes, yes…Josie was with me, thinks Hope.

 

But she doesn’t want to drag Josie into this, and she doubts the headmistress will be happy to know her daughter slept in her room yesterday.

 

“…Euh…No, I was alone. I left the gathering (virtual air quotations were lacing her tone) and went to my room to relax a bit. And then I went for a jog.”

 

“In the night?”

 

“Yes. I just felt restless. It happens sometimes.”

 

“Oh, yeah like that doesn’t smell fishy. We should clearly call the police Miss Forbes.” Rafael was panting, his lungs begging for air. 

 

“You will do no such thing, Mr. Waithe. Now, not another word out of you.”

 

“You were the last one to see him, so for all we know, you did something to your supposed friend.” Hope actually uses the air quotations this time.

 

She is fuming and itching to give Rafael a taste of his medicine. If only they weren’t in the headmistress’ office.

 

Her fist had been longing to shatter his face and break it in half. Hope is gritting her teeth, becoming angrier by the second.

 

 

It even got worse when she started remembering Elizabeth’s words… why did he sleep with me if he liked my sister? I don’t fucking get it, or when the image of his fist colliding with her throat popped in her head. She was finding it really hard to control herself.

 

Her brain suddenly zoomed in on a sleeping figure, a brunette resting peacefully in her bed, and it was enough for her fists to unclench.

 

“Okay enough both of you! You will both go to your rooms right this instance. I am excusing you from classes today and I don’t want to see either of you outside of your rooms except for food. Am I making myself clear? I'm sure Miss Machado will gladly share her notes with you both.”

 

“But I need to find Landon.”

 

“As I already said Mr. Waithe, Mr. Donovan will take care of it.”

 

Rafael leaves abruptly without any retorts, bumping into Hope on his way out. Hope stares at his leaving figure and visualizes a few fun ways to end his life. She was her father’s daughter after all.

 

“Miss Forbes. I have basketball practice today, and we have our first match coming up soon. Coach Dorian won’t be happy if I skip.”

 

“Fine miss Mikealson. You may join your team for basketball practice. Now go take a nap or something, and stay out of Mr. Waithe’s way today.”

 

A nap? What is this, Kindergarten? And why is Caroline mad at her anyway?

 

“Am I in trouble or something?”

 

“Of course not, Miss Mikealson. Not unless you know something else, you think is worth mentioning?” Caroline raises her eyebrows, trying to fight the feeling in her gut telling her that Hope was indeed hiding something.

 

“Nope” Hope lets out an exasperated sigh and goes to her room without her daily cup of coffee.

 

“I will take care of this Caroline. The word won’t get out. And if we don’t find any traces of him by tomorrow, I will give deputy chief Vardemus, a call. We will try to keep things under wraps.”

 

“Okay. Thanks Bonnie. With the new exchange students arriving next week, I have enough on my plate as it is. Emma, could you summon both Hope and Rafael to your office this week for a session? Just to get ahead of things. These two looked like they were planning to kill each other.”

 

"Yes of course."

 

“I don’t have classes today so I will help Mat search for the boy.”

 

“Okay, Stefan. Thank you.”

 

“How many exchange students are coming exactly? Anna wanted to write an article about this program since it’s the first time we attempt something like that. We were thinking of interviewing the exchange students, for instance, for a sort of puff piece.” explains Bonnie,

 

“That would be a good idea actually. Three students will be arriving next week: Sebastian Fields from England, Ayla Lemmens from Belgium, and a last-minute addition from the US, a Roman Siena, if I'm not mistaken. He comes highly recommended.”

 

“Interesting. I will let Anna know.”

 

By the end of classes, everyone had already heard about the cafeteria altercation and had already chosen sides. Half of them were defending Rafael, saying that Hope seemed like the gangster type and that it wasn’t a coincidence that Landon disappeared when she arrived.

 

The other half were saying that Rafael was too unhinged and that he needed to get laid.

 

Gossip started taking over the school and theories were thrown around and shared like a deadly airborne virus spreading and infecting everyone.

 

Come on, her parents shipped her off here. Her own parents. God knows what she did.

 

Whatever she is hot. I wouldn’t mind being one of her victims.

 

I saw her yesterday leaving school grounds. She was up to no good, trust me.

 

You weren’t even at the party.

 

She was probably sick of lover-boy stalking her. He kept following her like a lost puppy. I would have killed him too.

 

This has nothing to do with Landon. I saw them both fighting over Josie.

 

No way. Did you see how she danced with Maya? They are obviously banging.

 

I heard all 3 of them had a threesome. And that’s why Rafael feels left out.

 

“Can you all shut up and mind your own business? God what is with people and conspiracy theories?” screamed Lizzie, scaring the crap out of everyone.

 

For once Josie was grateful for her sister’s bluntness. She threw a sweet look at Lizzie, trying to subtly thank her. But the blond just ignored her and joined MG for lunch.

 

Josie was still grateful. And she understood why her sister was upset.

 

Of course, she understood. But it didn’t hurt any less. They had decided to talk tonight. Maybe if she explained her side, Lizzie would be more willing to forgive her eventually.

 

And then there was Hope…Josie woke up in Hope’s bed alone. The sheets felt so cold and somber.

 

Without auburn hair and blue eyes, the bed just felt empty. She might as well have woken up in a coffin.

 

This upset her more than she expected it would. I mean she knew Hope and her were kind of strangers, but being held yesterday just felt so nice. It felt like home.  

 

She never had anyone take care of her like that. Josie always took care of everyone, but no one returned the favor. No one took care of her.

 

Well, until Hope came.

 

Images of Hope pushing Rafael off her yesterday resurfaced, and she found herself blushing, thinking about how Hope had carried her to her own bed, how she listened to her, how she comforted her, and how she hugged her all night.

 

But then she left, in the middle of the night, and that hurt. I won’t be long… yeah right. She never came back.

 

Leaving Ibuprofen tablets and water for her on the nightstand was thoughtful though.

 

It seemed that with Hope there were always so many mixed signals. How was she supposed to understand what was happening in that pretty little auburn-haired head?

 

And then there was Rafael. He had texted her this morning. I need you. Landon is gone. I'm freaking out.

 

And well Josie liked being needed. Helping her friends was like her second nature. 

 

What was she supposed to do? Who was she supposed to believe?

 

Was she supposed to ignore her friend? or ignore her instincts, screaming at her that Hope had nothing to do with this?

 

 

Rafael’s room:

 

A knock on the door surprised him as he was changing his outfit. He opened the door half-dressed and went to fetch a shirt when he saw who was at the door.

 

“Josie?”

 

“Uhm. Yes, I received your text” muttered Josie before blushing. 

 

Rafael looked at those chocolate eyes and hesitated a second before wrapping his arms around Josie. And right then and there, he felt like home.

 

The brunette, taken by surprise, just stood there paralyzed… Before finally deciding to hug back her friend. He needed her right now, and Josie would never let her friends down, even if she was shouldering burden after burden.

 

Little did she know that a certain blond was also planning to check up on Rafael...

Chapter 18: She was mad at the world

Chapter Text

New Orleans:

 

“Detective Cordelia called again” sighs Freya, a frown of disapproval on her face.

 

Her worries over her niece were starting to cloud her judgment, and she wasn’t sure how they should react anymore or what the ideal strategy would entail exactly. She needed to find ways to mitigate the menace and get the detective off their back, without encouraging Rebecca’s thirst for blood.

 

“At this point, I think we should hire an operator just to handle her fucking calls or invest in a dedicated phone line. It's ridiculous how persistent she can be, and this is starting to seriously piss me off,” snarls Rebecca, her voice soaking in disgust.

 

“She knows that she has nothing to charge her with. This is just a fishing expedition. They must be bored out of their minds, at the station. Probably got nothing better to do than harass teenagers,” intervened Keelin with a smirk on her face.

 

“If she's so bored, I'm sure I can arrange to end her suffering by putting a stake through her heart. Or maybe spice up her life with a little danger. I have never had complaints before.”

 

Rebecca was envisioning a few techniques she could perform to terrify the detective, blending a hint of intimidation, a pinch of coercion, a tad of duress, and just a small dash of peril to refine the mix.

 

“Hard to complain when you are not breathing any more,” whispered Freya.

 

“Yeah, well, if Nik were here, he would have sent her a wrapped gift box with her husband’s head inside.”

 

“Okay, let’s just take things one step at a time. We don’t need to dismember anyone yet, Becks. Marcel has already arranged for Roman to join Hope at the Salvatore School, and he assured me that he will give a call to the commissioner if the harassment continues. Walter White craves the congressman’s approval, after all, so he wouldn’t jeopardize his position and network for this silly witch hunt.”

 

“Fine. I hope she gets the message before we have to switch from words to body parts. I still think sending her a severed finger would do the job, but I will put a pin in my plans for now.”

 

“Thank you, Becks. That is awfully mature of you,” retorts Freya, amused by her sister’s reaction.

 

 “You know… I really miss her. The house feels so empty without her,” interjects Keelin.

 

Her eyes were glazed, and her gaze focused on one of Hope’s paintings. The latter portrayed Freya and Keelin embraced in a mix of bright colours. Pale and dark merged in a beautiful union, representing a harmony of souls. It was as if human eyes could not perceive where one body began and the other ended. The painting elicited emotions of love and adoration. Hope had gifted them this painting for their anniversary, and Freya had rushed to hang it on the wall.

 

Freya has always been hesitant at letting people in, showing her emotions, and maybe she hadn't shown Hope enough… But she loved Hope like her own daughter and would protect her with everything she had, even at her own peril.

 

“Our niece is a tough cookie. I'm sure she has taken that school by storm,” answers Rebecca to ease Keelin’s doubts, a prideful grin on her face.

 

“Caroline has assured me that students are fawning over her already. Apparently, she has a few admirers too,” complements Freya in joyful haste.

 

“Can’t say I am surprised. She did inherit that Mikealson charm that drew me in so easily”. Keelin winks at Freya mischievously, and Freya gives her a quick chaste kiss on the lips, thoroughly enjoying the compliment she received.  

 

“Get a room. I prefer lesbian porn in HD format.”

 

Source: https://jimenabarrios.tumblr.com/post/48377533515/on-we-heart-it

 

 

Boy’s Dormitory - Outside Rafael’s Room:

 

“Hey, hey… I'm here. We will find him, I promise.”

 

“Your mom said Mr. Donovan is checking everywhere. And apparently, I'm not allowed to leave the room today.”

 

“Well, I got you something to eat.” Josie handed him the bag she was holding. “Sorry, they only had vegetarian tacos left.”

 

“It’s okay. I will overlook your attempt to lure me to the dark side,” chuckles Rafael.

 

Josie doesn’t really feel like prolonging the banter. She is kind of finding it inappropriate, given the situation and given how naked Rafael’s torso is, at the moment.

 

“Uhm. Could you put on a shirt?”

 

“Yes. Yes. Sorry. My bad. Do you want to come in?”

 

“I can’t. I have basketball practice. I just wanted to check on you.”

 

“I mean, honestly, I feel like shit. You probably heard what happened… Landon left at night to…”

 

“Yeah, I heard”, Josie interrupted him, not really looking forward to hearing Rafael’s version of the story.

 

Hope was obviously not the big bad wolf he was making her out to be.

 

Would a devious person take care of her like Hope had done yesterday? No way.

 

“Right. Well. Can we talk since you are here?”

 

“Rafael. Whatever you want to say, you can tell me out here. I have to leave soon anyway.”

 

“I just… I need you. I don’t know where Landon is, and I feel so useless.”

 

“You're not useless. We will find him. I can take a look around after practice. I'm sure he is here somewhere. Where do you think he might have gone?”

 

“I have no idea… Maybe you should ask your new friend…” interjects Rafael, his voice soaking in venom. The taste of rejection was infecting his thoughts, and he found himself using his words to inflict harm rather than comfort. “Since you two are so close, maybe you can look for Landon together…”

 

Josie flinched at the accusatory tone. She was trying to help him. He had no right to get angry at her or throw tantrums. This was not her fault. And she was upset too.

 

“Don’t bring Hope into this. She has nothing to do with it. And Landon is my friend too…you don’t get to be mad at me! I know you are hurting, but I'm not the enemy here, so get over yourself!”

 

Josie left without another word, regretting this encounter already. Nothing she ever did for the people she loved, seemed to be enough. And she couldn’t take it any more. If Rafael wanted to sulk and blame her for his problems, so be it. She would not stand and watch while their friendship sank further. Whatever was happening, was Rafael’s own doing, and she was done feeling responsible for things she didn’t do.

 

 

Boy’s Dormitory - Hallway:

 

Lizzie was mad. She was mad at the world. Mad at her sister. Mad at Rafael. And mad at Alyssa. The latter was going to get what was coming for her. Alyssa will pay.

 

But Lizzie couldn’t find it in her heart to hurt Josie, and now that Landon was gone, she found it even more difficult to hurt Rafael.

 

Hear him out, maybe he has an explanation. Maybe he doesn’t. But at least you will know all the facts, and you will be able to deal with it however you please. Hope’s speech was replaying in Lizzie’s mind like a broken record. She had to admit that it was the right thing to do, but it didn’t make things any easier.

 

She decided that she would be the bigger person. She would listen to both her sister and the boy she liked before deciding what she wanted to do and how she wanted to feel.

 

Can a person decide how they want to feel? She was not sure… She knew deep down that no matter what the excuses were, the outcome would be one and the same. Her feelings would be one and the same. She would feel hurt, disappointed, betrayed.

 

Maybe an explanation would relieve her mind a bit, maybe it would make it easier to forgive the people she loved. But would she trust them again? Probably not. Would she trust anyone again? Probably not.

 

Her heart had become an anchorite, a recluse whose only religion would be self-preservation.

 

These walls that she had worked so hard to destroy, that took years to abolish, had been reconstructed in one swift movement, and she wasn’t sure she would be able to demolish them any more.

 

These walls that had been reassembled, restoring a fortress around her heart, would not only keep her away from the outside world, but rather, like a devious double-edged sword; these fences would also keep the outside world away from her.

 

Lizzie Saltzman, the girl who never wanted to be alone, found herself, despite everything, utterly and completely alone, and the void that was taking over her secluded life, devouring her thoughts and emotions, would undoubtedly not be easy to reverse any more.

 

The irony, though, was that even after everything, her stupid heart felt like betraying her. Let me go check on him, she thought. He must be devastated, she thought.

 

Not enough, it seems. On the contrary, he seemed quite content and satisfied.

 

Her sister had already flown to the rescue. She had seen them hugging outside his room…

 

Rafael didn’t even have a shirt on. He was prancing around outside with Josie… as if nothing happened.

 

How many signals was the universe going to send her until she finally understood that he wasn’t hers? How many betrayals will it take for her to open her eyes? Why was she blindly marching towards her execution and carelessly forgiving her slaughterers?

 

 

Source: https://tenor.com/view/jenny-boyd-lizzie-saltzman-elizabeth-jenna-saltzman-legacies-pissed-off-gif-16637298

Chapter 19: What is going through that pretty little head of yours, princess?

Chapter Text

Basketball Practice - 6 PM: 

 

“Stop it Maya! Come on, I can’t take it anymore.” Hope is panting and shaking, her cheeks turning scarlet. 

 

“OH, BUHU, Cry me a river, Hopey! Now Surrender and I will stop!”

 

“WTF! This is so not fair! Ouchh…Stop!” 

 

“Ballsy of you to assume I play fair. The Big Bad Mikealson is going down!” smirks Maya doubling her efforts to run after Hope and tickle her in the abdomen. Hope hugs her belly and pitifully throws herself on the floor in the middle of the basketball court. 

 

“No…No, stop. I surrender. Please. Fine! You are the almighty queen of basketball. There I said it. Are you happy? Now move your nasty fingers away from me.” 

 

Maya chuckles and reaches to take Hope’s hand and help her stand up. These two had become extremely close lately, and the raven-haired girl never missed a chance to mess with the Mikealson heir. 

 

They kind of looked like childhood friends to the untrained and unfamiliar eyes. Well, friends who flirt with each other occasionally. 

 

Granted, Maya probably flirted more than she breathed, but Hope didn’t seem to mind at all. 

 

And honestly, the girl’s humour was refreshing. It was exactly what Hope needed nowadays. Someone to distract her.

 

After everything she went through, laughing was not always a given. So yeah, Hope liked their friendship, and she wasn’t going to ruin it, just because of some innocent flirting.

 

Besides, let’s be honest, receiving a few harmless compliments here and there, isn’t that bad.  

 

Josie felt a pang of jealousy at the scene playing out in front of her eyes. 

 

She had no right to be jealous, of course. She knew that. But that didn’t make things any easier. 

 

Whoever said ignorance is bliss, was right on point. And oh, how easier it would have been to be in denial. 

 

Yet, the truth was that Josie knew all the facts very well. 

1 - She liked Hope even though she didn’t know Hope that well. 


2 - She craved Hope even though she wasn’t hers to crave. 


3 - She was undoubtedly jealous now, even though she certainly didn’t have the right to be. 

 

So, denial, as sweet as it sounded, was not in the cards for her. 

 

Waking up in Hope’s bed without Hope was the sign she needed. It beckoned her, calling her to the realization, that Hope’s presence meant a great deal to her, and her absence, likewise, was strongly felt. 

 

The brunette is slowly brought back to reality by a sudden bump on her shoulder and is pleasantly surprised when Hope approaches her to greet her.

 

“Hello, princess!”

 

“Hope…H-” attempts to answer Josie, skin flushing and blushing. 

 

“How’s the hangover?” Hope is grinning at her, and Josie’s heart skips a beat, prompted by that beautiful smile. 

 

“A bit better. Uhm. Thanks for leaving Advil on the nightstand, by the way. I don’t think I would have been able to survive without them. And I also wanted to thank-” 

 

“Nightstand hunh?” interrupts Alyssa, “well, that was quick. Gotta hand it to you, Saltzman, you sure know how to pick them. First a foster kid and now a billionaire. Do you even have a type? Or do you just hit on anything that moves?” 

 

“Are you really slut-shaming my sister, you Gollum? You’ve been banged more times than a snooze button on Monday mornings. So, if I were you, I would keep my mouth shut.”

 

Thankfully, the brawl was postponed by the high shriek of a familiar whistle summoning them to the middle of the court. 


“Gather around. Come on! I don’t have all day. Okay, girls, listen carefully. You have all probably heard by now that one of your fellow students has been missing since yesterday. The administration of the school urges anyone who knows anything about his whereabouts to let them know. Anything you might have noticed can be useful. Am I clear?” 

 

“Yes, Coach”, answered most of the team players in unison. 

 

“Great! Now, I know that this is probably traumatic to most of you, but we have a game coming, and the school is actively searching for Landon, so right now, I need you all to focus and give me everything you have. Park, you are in charge! Start with stretching exercises and move on to last week’s layup drills, while I go get the agility hurdles and a few cones. I don’t want to hear a word from anyone else. Don’t stop until you score 60 pts. Oh, and whoever scores the least, will have fun running laps at the end of practice.”

 

The coach’s words are met with a series of groans and grunts. 

 

After yesterday’s events and the party, most of the players are either (A) hungover, (B) in a fight with Alyssa, (C) sad about Landon, or (D) in a fight with everyone. Alyssa was, without a doubt, in the last category.

 


Basketball Practice - 7:30 PM: 


Needless to say, the practice ends up being pointless, and half of the team finds themselves running laps at the end of practice. 

 

The coach doesn’t even bother finishing up with a friendly game and opts to conclude with running drills, noticing that none of his players are playing well, and most of them are on the verge of starting a war. 

 

Disappointment rushes through Coach Dorian’s core, and he is quick to react, letting his harsh words fly around unrestrained. 

 

“What the hell was that nonsense?? You call this "being focused"? This is our first game of the season, and if I wanted to actually pick a team of worthy players, I would only choose the freecking mascot.” Dorian starts massaging his temple, frustration is lacing his voice, but he goes on hoping his words will leave a trace “Half of you were completely out of it and the other half were busy fighting with Alyssa. Get your heads in the game. If you guys are going to train like this every time, we better just forfeit all our games now.” He sighs and then looks his players straight in the eyes one by one. “Is that what you all want? For us to lose all our games?” 

 

tumblr-8ee1cf0b19f7149e28657ee95c944ef3-51ba59b9-400
Source: https://www.tumgir.com/tag/Dorian%20Bridges

 

Dorian slowly starts walking away, but not before announcing, “This is the last time that I humour you all. There will be 2 practices this Saturday, one at the crack of dawn and one in the evening, to attempt to salvage the start of the season, so consider your weekend plans cancelled. And whoever doesn’t want to give it their all, better not show up! Am I making myself clear?”

Yes 
Yes coach
Yeah
Mmm

“You are dismissed.”

Dismissed? What is this…army 101?


Whatever, let’s go shower.


I am so hungry. I could even eat Alyssa at this point. 


Please do. Do you prefer the rat well-done or medium-rare?  


I don’t think that shit is edible if it’s raw. Her giant head would blow up your digestive system. 

 

After dinner, Miss Forbes announces that all students will be confined to their rooms. Following yesterday’s incident and as punishment for the party, curfew is now moved to 8 pm for 2 weeks.

 

The cafeteria erupts with chatter and complaints, and the student body is currently planning to blame Jed for yesterday’s fiasco to no avail, as Caroline’s decision seems to be set in stone, and she certainly intends to teach her students a lesson or two. 

 

Besides, the teachers and the administrative board had opted to organize a search party tonight to find Landon, and it was decided that it would be better if students were in their rooms in the meantime to avoid any commotion. 

 

Whilst everyone starts moving towards their rooms, supervised by Miss Tig, Matt Donovan is ushering the search party to split up and leads a few teachers outside the building. 

 

Hope catches a glimpse of brown hair fleeing the scene and finds herself quickly trailing those familiar chocolate eyes down the long corridor, before entering the music room.

 

Urged by an overbearing curiosity, Hope initiates a hot pursuit, tracking her target at the edge of curfew, and is surprised to find that the brunette is not there anymore. 

 

She looks around carefully and notices a glass door at the end of the room, which is slightly open, held ajar by a wooden music box, carefully planted on the floor. Hope is further impressed by the brunette when she sees that this door leads her outside the school. 

 

What is going through that pretty little head of yours, princess? And where the hell are you going after curfew? 

 

 

hope-mikaelson
Source: https://tenor.com/view/hope-mikaelson-gif-21442970

 

 


School grounds - Outside - 9 PM:

 

“Landon? Landon? Please answer if you're okay… Landon? It’s me, Josie...”

 

Josie is not on a nocturnal stroll. Nope.

 

Josie has decided to go search for her friend. On her own. With no equipment or backup. 

 

Now that she actually thinks about it. She knows it was a stupid idea.

 

She is surrounded by teachers. It’s after curfew. Lizzie is waiting for her. Her phone battery, which was abysmal, to begin with, is currently being spent to light the road ahead as Josie is utterly submerged in obscurity.

 

Oh. And there could definitely be a murderer loose in these woods. Okay, she needs to cut down on watching reruns of The Mentalist. Picturing Red John everywhere is a definite drawback. 

 

In her defence, though, she did try to abide by her mom’s rules.

 

She did, really! She thought about being a goody-two-shoes, respecting the rules, fixing things with her sister, and sleeping early… It was an appealing possibility. 

 

But ultimately, the brunette couldn’t just stand there and do nothing. 

 

Josie Saltzman was a lot of things, but coward wasn’t one of them. And she refused to lay in the comfort of her bed, whilst her friend was missing, maybe even hurt. 

 

She just needed a way out without raising suspicion. 

 

Oh! Oh! Got it…The school band had always used a backdoor to go outside during performances to surprise the audience. It might be an excellent idea to sneak out undetected!

 

Josie had been walking for about 30 minutes. 30 God-awful minutes, and there were no signs of Landon or anyone for that matter. She must have really strayed from the normal path because she couldn’t even hear Mr. Donovan’s shouts anymore. 


She decided that it would be wiser to retrace her steps, maybe look around near the old mill. She didn’t want to push her luck tonight. 

 

Fuck… Stupid phone…now is really not the time. Ugh, just my luck. 

 

Josie started her walk back sooner than intended and was struggling to find the path to follow.

 

In hindsight, she was really regretting coming here without a flashlight and was seeing echolocation in a new light.

 

She never thought of bats as particularly interesting beings. But being able to see in the dark would have been pretty convenient now. 

 

Bushes rustling…Leaves shifting…Logs cracking…Grass swishing…Air hissing… And footsteps…

 

Someone was here…Someone was following her. 

 

Goosebumps erupted on her skin, flowing from her toes to her head at the speed of light.

 

Josie started running towards the school, or so she thought. She wasn’t even looking ahead. What would be the point anyway? It’s not like she could see anything. 

 

“Wha.. Leave me al-…”

 

Her body was suddenly slammed on a tree and dragged slowly, whilst a strong hand was covering her mouth, silencing the brunette, and suppressing her words. Muffling sounds were attempting to surpass the oppressing palm but to no avail. 

 

Josie was preparing to bite the coercing palm covering her mouth when…

 

“Shhhhhh love… you don’t want them to hear us. The gatekeeper is coming this way.”

 

Hope had placed her second arm on Josie’s waist and was holding the brunette close, closer than they had ever been. Their bodies flush against each other, and Josie practically whimpers the sounds getting swallowed in Hope’s palm. Hope’s breath is lingering on Josie’s neck, and desire bristles the timid chocolate eyes. Hope dips her head even closer when she hears imminent footsteps, and Josie is taken over by a blush travelling up her neck. The brunette unintentionally attempts to wet her own lips and her tongue slowly tickles Hope’s hand, meeting her skin for the first time and sending shiver and delight upon each touch. 

 

“As much as I'm enjoying the foreplay, love… maybe we should wait until we don’t have an audience”, whispers the auburn-haired girl against her neck. 


Josie falters, her legs turning to jelly, but Hope’s hands keep her steady grounding her in this warm embrace. 

 

Hope smirks and lowers her gaze to Josie’s glistening neck… sweat droplets are slowly sinking through the soft skin towards her collarbones, and Hope really wants to know how they taste.

 

She catches herself as she tries to erase the distance between them even further and barely pulls back when the gatekeeper passes them by… 

 

Oh!


Did Hope just peck her neck? She could have sworn, she felt a brush of lips on her skin. 


She must be fantasizing…

 

“Okay, Bonnie, we are going to head to the shed to put the equipment back. I think it’s enough for tonight. I will call Caroline and let her know,” utters Matt on the walkie-talkie. 

 

Hope lets out a breath when Mr. Donovan’s footsteps dissipate from her ears. 

 

“I think he's gone…”

 

“WWWMmmm…wwwMMMMMmmmmmmmMMMM??”

 

“What?”

 

A nip startles Hope, and she finds herself moving her bitten palms away from pouty lips.

 

"Did you just bite me?"

 

“Hope...Your hands. I need to breathe…”

 

 “Oh…Yeah sure. Sorry.”

 

“What are you even doing here?”

 

“I followed you.”

 

“You followed me?”

 

“Yup, I followed you.”

 

“But why?”

 


“Well, for one, who in their right mind would wander alone in the middle of nowhere after curfew?”

 

“It's none of your business. You don’t need to babysit me.”

 

“Mmmm, our track record says otherwise. Between yesterday and today, I think I should start charging you for my nocturnal services.”

 

Oh!

 

Josie blushes a faint pink taking over her cheeks by storm. 

 

“I…”

 

“Don’t worry, that pretty little head of yours, princess. And besides, I owed you one for the way I treated you in the art room… I kind of lost it…” 

 

“Yeah, you did!” Josie grins with malice. 

 

“Okay, let’s get you to bed.”

 

“Hope…I. Thanks.”

 

“Sure thing. What are friends for?”

 

“I…Right. Friends.”

 

“Yeah…I kind of thought about what you said yesterday… About you...Wanting us to be friends…”  

 

Flashes of last night suddenly erupt in Josie’s mind…and snippets of a conversation submerge her thoughts…

 

Because I can’t understand you. I keep trying to be your friend and you keep shutting me out. 


Oh, is that all you want to be? My friend?


I don’t know. I just know... I know that I want to be close to you.

 

Hope gathers every ounce of courage she has and lets the words out without a second thought “…And I would like that… Being your friend I mean. If the offer still stands, Jo.” Hope clenches her fists, and worryingly awaits Josie’s response, like a convict awaiting his trial. 


Josette is surprised to feel a trace of vulnerability lacing Hope’s gaze and she finds herself leaning over and taking Hope’s hand. She squeezes it in comfort and the auburn-haired girl squeezes back. 

 

“Nope, too late, the offer has been terminated. Better luck next time.” Josie chuckles darkly and shakes her head, emphasizing how ridiculous the question is. 

 

Hope starts moving towards the school, her grip on Josie's hand lingering… And Josie…poor little old Josie, looking at their held hands, can’t help but hold her breath. 

 


Music Room - 10 PM:


“Hey, watch out for the…”

 

“Ouchh…”

 

“Here, give me your hand. You really didn’t see the piano? It’s a piano, Jo.” Hope says while chuckling.

 

Josie doesn’t respond… Banter is no fun when it is one-sided, thinks Hope… Or maybe when it is without Josie… Wait, why is Josie on the verge of crying? “Hey, Jo, what’s wrong? Did you hurt yourself?” Josie’s eyes are glazed, fighting waterworks…

 

68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f
Source: https://www.wattpad.com/841134410-multi-fandom-x-fem-reader-josie-saltzman

 

“Hope…do you think he Is okay?” 

 

“What?”

 

“Do you think Landon is okay?”

 

“I…Yes. I am sure. We will find him…Okay? Come on, don’t pout like that…” My heart can’t take it, thinks Hope. 

 

“I… With everything that happened and the searching, I didn’t feel it before. But now I feel it. I'm afraid he is hurt or worse…that he is D...”

 

“Hey, don’t think like that. Everyone is out there looking for Landon. We will find him, okay?”

 

“I think they should check by the old mill. They haven’t even checked there yet…” 

 

“Okay, I’ll go to the mill. Just stay here.”

 

 


“You will do no such thing.” 

 

Josie and Hope both freeze, neither of them was the utterer of these words…

 

Oops!

 

“Josette Lucas Saltzman, what are you doing here after curfew?” Caroline eyes her daughter carefully. Leaves are caught in her hair, smudged mud on her clothes… “Were you outside tonight?”

 

“I… Mom, I…”

 

“It’s not her fault. She followed me outside to make sure I don’t get in trouble” Interjects Hope in a decisive voice.

 

“Oh… Hope a word if you may. Let’s go to my office.” 

 

“But…I”

 

“Later, Josette, please go to your room…Your sister has been worried sick about you, and she is grounded because she covered for you. We will talk about your punishment tomorrow. Let’s go, Miss Mikealson.”

 

87831d0864383fa520bfb60844902bfe

 

Hope nods and follows Caroline out, but not before throwing a final glance at Josie… Overthrown with guilt, the brunette is looking ahead, her gaze taken by a cold tremor, and Hope raises her brow to get her attention, before slipping on a smile that momentarily warms Josie’s heart.

 

Don’t worry, she mutters, and she hopes that Josie is good at lip reading or that the brunette can at least understand her intentions…

 

She turns back and rushes to meet Caroline at her office, and Josie is frozen in place thinking of her actions…

 

Hope is in trouble because of her. Lizzie is in trouble because of her. And Landon is gone. 

 

With the adrenaline vanishing and depleting, Josie is abruptly hit with everything. 

 

Hurt and Guilt knock out her resolve and Josie breaks down crying and sobbing, slipping gently to the floor… tears taking over her figure, tremor taking over her body…She cries and cries, and cries alone. 

 

Chapter 20: Chasing brown eyes and pouty lips

Chapter Text

“Sit down Miss Mikealson. I promise this won’t take long.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“With all due respect, I'm finding it a bit hard to believe your story. So, maybe you could shed some light on a few things.”

 

“I can certainly try.”

 

“Fair enough. First things First, it’s a bit difficult to imagine that you were the perpetrator of this little excursion, seeing as you have barely set foot here a few weeks ago. Do you really expect me to believe that you knew about the backdoor in the music room, even though you’re not even a member of the school band?”

 

“No, you’re right. I didn’t know about the door. Which is why I asked Jo to help me find a way out without raising any suspicion”.

 

“Jo?”

 

“I meant Josie. Anyway, I practically forced her to tell me…if I'm being honest.”

 

“Forced her? That is a daring word. And how did you force my daughter, exactly?”

 

“I told her that I was going to go out whether she decided to help me or not. And that her help would make things easier… And well, you know how your daughter is, always eager to please.”

 

Hope cringed at her own harsh words, barely managing to control her emotions and preserve the fabricated façade.

 

“Nice try, Miss Mikealson. You are obviously trying to get a rise out of me, to avoid my question. So, let me make this extra clear. Your efforts are quite pointless. I can see that you care about my daughter, maybe more deeply than you realize. I have seen it since you arrived at school, so I advise you to give it a rest. This performance… With you acting as if you are uncaring and cold, I frankly don’t buy it. Now, I want the whole truth without filters.”

 

“I… That is the… I mean, it is,” Hope started stuttering but didn’t falter for long as images of a wounded Josie resurfaced in her mind… “It's the truth. I don’t know what to say. No offence, Miss Forbes, but why would I incriminate myself for someone I barely know?”

 

“Assuming it is the truth, Hope, why were you even outside after curfew?” she attempts to ask, kindness entwining her voice and her gaze.

 

“I wanted to search for Landon.”

 

“You haven’t known him that long, Hope. Why would you be searching for him?”

 

“I felt guilty, okay? Knowing that he was looking for me when he disappeared didn’t sit right with me. I just wanted to do something to help.”

 

Caroline was tenderly looking at Hope, and a kind smile full of enigma had taken hold of her face.

 

Hope felt like Caroline knew everything but opted to forgo her preliminary decision to corner her student and let her spill the truth.

 

“Well, whether you were the protagonist or the sidekick, you and my daughter are still both culprits in this. And you will both endure the same punishment. Starting tomorrow, no more basketball practice for 2 weeks. And…”

 

“But we have a game next week.”

 

“I'm sure the team can manage one game without you both.”

 

“And I'm not done yet. You, Josie, and Lizzie will be chaperoning 3 exchange students, helping them settle in and giving them a tour of the school.”

 

“… Fine.”

 

“The next time we have this discussion, Miss Mikealson, I won’t be so indulgent. Now off you go.”

 

“Good night, Miss Forbes.”

 

Hope started her walk towards the dormitory when she saw Miss Bennet sprinting to Miss Forbes’ office. She barely registered what was happening as a group of teachers darted towards the gate of the school. One of them had an extinguisher in his hand and the other one ran past her to set off the fire alarm before joining the others.

 

A fire? No… Fuck, No… This isn’t happening right now…

 

Hope suddenly thought of Josie and remembered what she said just moments ago…

 

I think they should check by the old mill. They haven’t even checked there yet…

 

Was Josie outside again?

 

Oh… Please, God No.

 

Not again…

 

I CAN’T LOSE ANYONE ELSE I CARE ABOUT…

 

I CAN’T LOSE HER…

 

I JUST FOUND HER… I BARELY FOUND HER… I JUST CAN’T…

 

Hope started sprinting towards the music room, ignoring Mr. Donovan’s instructions.

 

Never in her life had she run like that, even during her basketball games, even when she was racing against the buzzer… She had never soared as if her life depended on it.

 

But in this instance…this particularly dreadful and fleeting instance… She felt like her life did.

 

Hope ran and ran and ran… Never stopping for air until…

 

Blue eyes captured their brown paramours… And Hope’s heart started beating again conventionally for a few seconds as her body rushed to hug the brunette without any warnings.

 

Josie was in awe… not understanding what was happening… But her body welcomed the hug nonetheless and was ravished by it.

 

 

“Hope? I'm so glad you are okay.”

 

“I…. Yes. I'm okay now. I thought you might have gone back to the old mill. I was worried.”

 

“No, I was heading to my room when I heard the alarm. Do you know where the fire is?”

 

“I don’t know. Outside, I think. I saw Mr. Hunter running outside with your mom and Miss Bennett.”

 

“My mom?”

 

“Yeah. What the fuck are you…”

 

Hope didn’t get to finish the sentence as Josie gently pushed past hope and vanished.

 

“I am sorry, I need to go check on my mom and find out what's going on.”

 

And for the second time today, Hope found herself running after the brunette, chasing brown eyes and pouty lips.

 

What exactly did I sign up for? Thought Hope, as she was recklessly following Josie towards brazing flames… A sight her heart could undeniably no longer fathom…

Chapter 21: Go along with her heart’s desires...

Chapter Text

“Lizzie? Lizzie… I have been looking everywhere for you,” whispers MG in between strangled breaths.

 

“MG… I need to find Josie… She's not here. She hasn't been here for hours. What if she’s not okay? The last thing I said to her… We were fighting… I can’t… I can’t just leave.”

 

Lizzie’s voice reveals a low rumbling, raw emotions, and threatening sobs hidden in between each word coming out of the blonde’s mouth. Her body is quivering, and her feet are barely holding her. MG quickly loops his arm around Lizzie’s waist and ushers them to the stairs.

 

It's a wonder how this pretty girl, a lioness at heart, breaks at the mere mention of her sister in danger… 

 

“Hey, look at me… Josie is probably already down there with your mom. Let’s follow the queue and we will see her in a few minutes. Come on, I promise we will find her. You know I always keep my promises.”

 

Lizzie nods and lets MG drag her down.

 

Trailing behind several beings, her mind shuts out everything and everyone and focuses on tracking her twin relentlessly.

 

Outside, Hope’s mind is in sync with Lizzie’s mind.

 

Tracking Josie relentlessly too...

 

The auburn-haired girl follows the brunette through the crowd outside and freezes at the scene ahead.

 

An isolated shed is slowly desiccating… Withering in heat… Devoured by a raging fire that knows no bounds.

 

 

Hope is not a stranger to fires.

 

Hope is fairly acquainted with what it entails.

 

Hope deeply understands how flames roar, and how flickers can turn to losses and ashes.

 

Hope fully comprehends how these losses do not only target objects and possessions but could also abduct skeletons and souls.

 

And as long as this fire only slaughters the shed… Only abducts objects and possessions… It will be a good kind of fire.

 

A better kind of fire...

 

Not that Hope would know how a good fire feels.

 

Because, although Hope is not a stranger to fires.

 

The fires Hope had known, were alas not of the good kind...

 

Hope is slowly summoned back to existence when she spots a brunette trying to hastily approach the shed. She quickly heads towards her and catches her by the waist, encircling her body with her arms.

 

“Don’t. There is nothing you can do. There are trained professionals here that can handle it. They have suits and equipment… Let them handle it, Jo.”

 

“What if one of the teachers is still in there?? You heard, Mr. Donovan. You heard him. They went back to put back the flashlights and vests.”

 

“Jo…look around. Everyone is here… it’s just a shed. It’s a slim loss, trust me.”

 

A look of recognition flashes in the familiar ocean eyes, and Josie feels a bitter taste in her mouth, understanding the hidden indication of Hope’s words.

 

“Not everyone is here…” points out Josie.

 

Hope hugs her harder, if that was even possible. Her arms move around the brunette protectively, as if they were shielding her from the fire and all the emotions the said fire is spawning.

 

“Hey…shhh…don’t say that. The teachers didn’t find him. He is not here. He is somewhere safe, away from here.” Hope whispers in Josie’s ears before laying her head on Josie’s shoulders.

 

Josie closes her eyes, relishing in the comfort and warmth radiating from Hope’s body.

 

Everyone around them was shouting, screaming, crying… Ear-piercing sounds were echoing and resounding in a tedious and cyclic pattern.

 

“We dated once…you know…”

 

“You mean… You and…”

 

“Yes. Me and Landon. We were best friends for so long…”

 

“You don’t have to… Jo”

 

“No, I want to. It’s kind of funny,” Josie said in between tears. “We thought we owed our friendship a chance of being something deeper. Like it was how things would naturally progress…”

 

She didn’t realize she was crying until pale fingers carefully caressed her cheeks, removing the liquid traces left behind.

 

“Like it was our duty to see if we could be something more. And I wanted to feel things. I really did. Landon was just so sweet. Always there when I needed him. Always there for me.”

 

Hope just nodded, and Josie felt a chin delicately touch her shoulder, emphasizing that Hope was listening and encouraging her to go on.

 

“And it would have been nice, you know. If it were possible. To just choose someone to love. He would have been perfect. He would have never left. He was always so safe.”

 

Hope just stayed silent, absorbing Josie’s thoughts and words. She didn’t think she needed to say anything, opting to just lend her ears and heart to the beautiful brunette.

 

“In reality, of course. It doesn’t work like that. The heart might not want the safe choice. And I quickly understood that my heart would not beat for him. Not the way I wanted it to.”

 

“The heart wants what it wants, Jo…” said Hope, in a bid to commend Josie’s realization.

 

 “Yes…” Josie laughed amidst her tears, “I guess it does… And I think I understood it further when I met…”

 

Hope’s heart skipped a beat…was Josie talking about her? Or was she talking about Rafael?

 

Alas, she didn’t get a chance to find out, as a foreign body slammed into them and pulled Josie away.

 

“I was so worried… I was so worried about you…”

 

Lizzie was sobbing in Josie’s arms, and Josie once again, all too casually for Hope’s taste, tuned into her protector role…

 

Wiping away her own tears and fears, Josie stood a little taller and hugged her sister back with all she had. She had to be strong now for her sister. She was not allowed to freeze and break…

 

“Hey, hey! I'm here… I am okay. We’re okay!”

 

Hope pulled her sight back from the twins and involuntarily shifted to the fire. Her heart was caught in her chest, a strangled prisoner fighting for air.

 

You would think being familiar with a sight, would make it easier.

 

Definitely, Not.

 

Looking at that fire was anything but easy…

   

Soon Rafael also approached the twins, followed by MG, and then Caroline and Stefan. Hugs were thrown around, and Caroline explained that the firefighters were almost done. Mr. Donovan also added, in reassurance, that none of the teachers went inside because the fire started before their arrival.

 

Hope was slowly backing away from the scene when someone suddenly hugged her tightly. 

 

“It’s getting hot in here…so take off…”

 

Maya is smirking, and Hope joins her in laughter. It’s nice to know someone was looking for her.  

 

“I am glad you’re okay enough to flirt, Machado.”

 

Maya smiles at her and quickly retorts, “Always, Mikealson. Now let’s go see if Alyssa was the one behind this fire…” jokes Maya with a grin on her face.

 

Hope’s heart feels a little lighter at the banter. She joins Penelope, Cleo, Jade, and the others, and is glad to see that everyone is okay. Yes, even Alyssa. 

 

And although she notices a gaze spread on her like butter… She doesn’t look back this time, deciding to give Josie her privacy.

 

“Miss Forbes, a word, please…”

 

“Yes, of course, Chief. I am coming back in a bit, honey, okay? Just give me a few minutes to settle things.”

 

“Can the kids go back to their rooms, or is there any residual danger I should particularly be aware of?”

 

“No, No. The kids can go back to their rooms. The fire has been stopped and won’t be reaching the building anytime soon. We just need to pack up, and then tomorrow, there will be an inspection to see where the fire originated and how it started…”

 

“You mean… That this fire could have been intentional?”

 

“Miss Forbes, I don’t know a lot of things, but I know that it would be hard for a fire to erupt at night without any interference. I don’t know if it was pre-meditated or just out of negligence…but we should know more tomorrow. Sometimes teenagers start a prank believing it is harmless, and then…you know how things go…”

 

“My students would never do something like that.”

 

“Okay. Let’s just wait for the inspection and see. The police chief will also be sending someone in any case to accompany the inspector. They should be able to give you more details tomorrow.”

 

Josie can’t help but listen in on the conversation. Her expression is puzzled and perplexed.

 

How could someone do this for fun?

 

This is not a prank.

 

None of the people she knew would do something like that...

 

 Josie’s eyes suddenly fell on the shed ahead of her and turned into an assortment of remnants and ashes.

 

She approached the latter and was dazed by the warmth that it still radiated.

 

Intoxicated in a haze, she was soon struck by a shining object on the ground.

 

Josie looked around her and noticed that everyone else was occupied. She quickly bent down and picked it up.

 

It was a necklace. 

 

A silver necklace in the form of a shield… With a sort of family crest on it.

 

The shield embraced a letter. Oh, so beautifully drawn…

 

Why did this necklace look so familiar?

 

There was a letter on it.

 

The letter M…

 

She had seen this necklace before…

 

She was adamant about that. 

 

But, Where?

 

Oh!

 

She does remember.

 

She saw it on a pale neck, the night they danced… Mingling with auburn hair…

 

She remembers thinking … It looked powerful…

 

Like it was there to protect her from other beholders

 

She remembered it now. 

 

Clear as Day…

 

M like Mikealson.

 

Hope Mikealson.

 

This necklace was HOPE’S NECKLACE…

 

What was Hope’s necklace doing next to the shed?

 

 

Josie quickly shoved it in her pocket without any second thoughts… 

 

Her body reacted on a whim from her heart… A heart trying to dictate her every move.

 

And Josie, helpless Josie, decided, for once in her life, to go along with her heart's desires…

Chapter 22: And yet you hid the necklace…

Chapter Text

“Please tell me you managed to keep this under wraps, Bonn. I really need to hear good news today… My headache is growing by the second,” implores Caroline in a drained tone.

 

“I could tell you that. But I would be lying. The beast is out, there’s no stopping it anymore. I managed, however, to put a spin on the article.”

 

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Source: https://gifer.com/en/QuV7

 

 

“Explain…”

 

“No one is mentioning any parties. The article is simply saying that the boy slipped out of his room and never came back. They even suspect that he is behind the fire. Although I reiterated that the school’s stance is unchanged: 1 - that we don’t know whether the fire is intentional; 2 - that we believe it was an unforeseen incident; and 3 - that we deny the involvement of any student or staff member. I also added that we trust the authorities and that we will be putting all our resources at the disposal of the police.”

 

“And what about the inspection?”

 

“Well, I gave a call to Deputy Chief Vardemus, and he promised to send in one of his own detectives for the inspection. I don’t know the specifics, as I imagine he couldn’t divulge any sensitive information on the precinct phone line. But from what I understood, it’s going to be someone we know.”

 

“I really hope it will be a routine inspection, or the press is going to have a field day at our expense.”

 

“You know, I was thinking we could actually gather the students, in the meantime, to…”

 

A knock on the door interrupts the heated exchange.

 

“Car?”

 

“Yes, Hun.”

 

“My brother just called. He will be coming in for the inspection. Vardemus sent him as a favour to Bonnie.”

 

“Oh! Damon is coming? Thank God,” retorts Caroline in ecstatic haste.

 

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“I never thought I would hear the words Damon and God in the same sentence” smirks Bonnie, remembering the days she shared with the hot detective.

 

Damon was a piece of work, that’s for sure. But he was, in all certainty, a hot piece of work…

 

“Stefan, can I count on you to babysit him during the inspection? I would normally send in Bonnie but given the delicacy of the situation and their heated past… you would be the wiser choice.”

 

“Are you saying I wouldn’t be able to separate between business and pleasure?”

 

“No. I'm saying the detective would be unable to do so, Bonn. Let’s not give him any reason to slack off. If you chaperone him, I'm not sure the inspection will be directed at the shed… And the last thing we need is a nudity scandal.”

 

“Rude… But I can’t say that I disagree with your assessment. Clothing items do tend to vanish when he is around,” retorted Bonnie with a wink.

 

“Okay. Let’s save this discussion for drinks later. What were you saying about gathering the students?”

 

 

 

In the Woods - On School Grounds:

 

“Is this supposed to be my welcoming committee? Color me disappointed.”

 

stefan-salvatore-damon

 

“I missed you too, brother.”

 

“Stefan, nice to see you. Where is your better half?”

 

“Busy running the school and all.”

 

“Well, at least she didn’t send in Grandpa Donovan to spy on us in binoculars.”

 

“Matt is at the precinct giving a statement for Landon’s disappearance. We were hoping that a picture of him might help the police in their search.”

 

“I heard about the boy. Our team has been assigned the case. I'm sure they will find him soon.”

 

“This is a picture of him, in case you see him anywhere.”

 

 

Screenshot-2022-03-29-at-19-34-46

 

“With this hair and those puppy dog eyes, they should be limiting the search to arcades and comic book stores. He doesn’t strike me as a wild kid.”

 

“He’s not. But it isn’t like him at all to leave without permission.”

 

“Bullshit. All teenagers tend to rebel a bit. Some just take longer to do it.”

 

“I guess you’re right.”

 

“Okay, would you like to do the honours?”

 

“After you, Detective Salvatore.”

 

 

In the Library - Saturday:

 

Miss Jenna Sommers did not look impressed by the Saltzman’s tardiness.

 

“Let me guess. Lizzie had to change outfits a few times. Had to look good for your date with our very own dusty books, Miss Saltzman?”

 

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“I had urgent business to attend to, Miss Sommers.”

 

“Oh, for god’s sakes Lizzie… Just tell the truth. You spent hours looking for that dress,” retorts Josie, equally unimpressed.

 

“Like I said, Urgent Business, Josie.”

 

“Shush, both of you. At least Miss Mikealson had the decency to arrive on time for detention and keep her mouth shut. You could learn a thing or two from her.”

 

“Teacher’s pet”, muttered Lizzie under her breath.

 

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Hope glared at her.

 

“Okay, I need a volunteer to rearrange this section. The books have been tossed all willy-nilly and it's quite sad.”

 

“Oh my god… Why is there a Marvel comic book in the DC section? Disrespectful Mother-F-IN vultures.”

 

“Language, Miss Saltzman. And I need volunteers to supervise the kids in art class. Miss Branson called in sick today. I trust that you will behave and split the tasks maturely.”

 

“Of course, Miss Summers”, answered Lizzie with a grin on her face.

 

Jenna rolled her eyes and took her leave.

 

 

“Hope…Hey!”

 

“Hey, Jo.”

 

Josie’s heart was melting in a puddle of bliss… her eyelashes fluttering and battering in a swift infinite rush, calling out Hope’s name in what looks like Morse code.  

 

Hope, catching the signal loud and clear, gazes at Josie’s eyes, a smile tugged at her lips and approaches the brunette to give her a hug.

 

The auburn-haired girl never reaches the brunette, though, as the impending gathering is yet again interrupted by a fun blond.

 

“Mikealson.”

 

“Saltzman.”

 

“Delighted to see that you’re still breathing.”

 

“Uh… Thanks.”

 

“Although, I would prefer if you exhaled somewhere else.”

 

“What?”

 

“I never pegged you for a mouth-breather, but I cannot work under these harsh conditions.”

 

“Can’t you both try to be civil for once?”

 

“Whatever. I'm going to the art room. You can stay with your sister.”

 

 

“What’s her deal?”

 

“Gee, Lizzie, I don’t know. Maybe your rude comments aren't as cute as you think they are…”

 

“You people are too sensitive. This is not "Breakfast Club", so let's not share our feelings today…Go check on her. I’ll manage here. I need to organize the comic book section anyway and you will only slow me down.”

 

“Rude!”

 

“I am just being honest, Jo. Your superhero knowledge starts and ends with the Powerpuff Girls, so spare me.”

 

“Whatever… Buttercup is more badass than your precious Captain America.”

 

“You didn’t just say that!! Leave or prepare to meet your doom.”

 

 

It was nice…

 

Joking again with Lizzie like that… It was something Josie had deeply missed.

 

 

Flashback to last night - Lizzie & Josie’s room:

 

“Can we please talk? I know you’re tired and you probably want to sleep, but I don’t think I can before getting this off my chest.”

 

“When I heard about the fire, and I couldn’t find you, I knew that it didn’t matter. All of it didn’t matter to me, as long as you were safe, Jo.”

 

Lizzie approached Josie and hugged her forcefully.

 

josie-saltzman-hug

 

“Besides, I thought about it… And I figured out that you mustn’t have known about his feelings. I recall you were as shocked as me, and I know you didn’t let him kiss you. So, maybe I overreacted, in a classic Lizzie frenzy…”

 

“No. You need to hear this, Lizzie. I made a mistake. You were right. I was a bitch…” Josie’s voice broke a little… but she managed to continue, “I did know about his feelings. I knew for a long time. I just didn’t have the guts to tell you and I should have. I know, I should have. I am really sorry about that. But I promise you, nothing ever happened between us.”

 

“How long?”

 

“…You really don’t want to know.”

 

“How long, Jo?”

 

“He confessed before you slept together. But I rejected him. I knew you had dibs, and I respected that.”

 

“So, you let me act like a fool…Chasing him around like a desperate damsel in distress, when he was in love with you?”

 

“I… I’m really sorry, Lizzie… I'm a terrible sister… I thought I was protecting you… I really thought it was the best way to deal with things.”

 

Josie’s sobs emerged like a dangerous storm, scorching her skin in a hazardous cascade of tears, attacking Josie’s breaths, and threatening her beating heart…

 

Lizzie tackled her sister on the bed and wrapped her arms around her to stop her from fidgeting.

 

“Shhhh…Okay…Okay. I believe you. I know you thought you were doing what’s best. I get it. I believe you… And I forgive you…”

 

“You can’t...You can’t forgive me. I don’t deserve your forgiveness. Please scream at me…Shout… Do anything you want… Just don’t say you forgive me. I don’t deserve it.”

 

“Well, too bad. I forgive you anyway.”

 

 

Art Room - Saturday:

 

“Hopey… I missed you.”

 

Screenshot-2022-03-29-at-19-50-50

Source: https://the-vampire-diaries-originals-tv-series.fandom.com/wiki/Pedro

 

 

“Hey, Little guy. How are you doing today?”

 

Hope looks at Pedro affectionately.  

 

“Who is this, Pedro?” asks one of his classmates.

 

“It’s Hope Mikealson, the best painter ever. She always helps me with my drawings.”

 

“Can you help me too, Miss Hope?”

 

“You can call me Hope. And you need another brush… this one is hard to use for beginners. Try this one, kid.”

 

“See? I told you that she knows everything. She is like that guy who painted Money Lisa.”

 

“It’s Mona Lisa Pedro and the painter is called Leonardo Da Vinci.”

 

Josie was taken aback by the scene playing ahead of her. She had never seen the auburn-haired girl in her element. Hope was radiating a thick layer of vulnerability and innocence… Away from the prying eyes of her peers or her elders, the girl had so easily revealed herself to these toddlers, and Josie was in awe.

 

Screenshot-2022-03-29-at-19-19-21

 

 

The turtle had finally come out of its shell, much to Josie’s surprise… But the brunette feared that revealing her presence could send the creature back in, so she hid behind the door, and threw her watchful gaze ahead, observing carefully as Hope gathered the kids to show them how to correctly use a brush.

 

Josie’s heart was beating at an incredible pace… Seeing this new facet of Hope’s personality was unexpected, to say the least, and the brunette found herself swooning even harder than she thought she could.

 

“Hopey. There is someone watching us at the door,” whispered Pedro in Hope’s ears.

 

“Is that so? Hello, peeping Tom, enjoying the show?”  Hope smiled at Josie, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

 

Josie slid her head out of the room and quickly shut the door.

 

She was blushing profusely and felt extremely embarrassed at being caught whilst peeking.  

 

“Don’t be scared, Kids. This is Princess Josie. She's just afraid to come in. We need to help her.”

 

“How?” all the kids shouted.

 

“We must attack her with hugs and tickles. Are you ready, my knights?”

 

The kids nodded.

 

Hope slowly approached the exit, with an army of toddlers trailing her, and impulsively opened the door launching the torrent of hugs that tackled Josie and sent her plummeting to the ground.

 

Hope was standing on top of the brunette, admiring her handiwork, whilst the brunette was laughing and snorting, face scorching scarlet red.

 

“Hope, please…I can’t anymore… I surrender kids…”

 

“Okay Kids. Let the princess go… We have won.”

 

Cheers erupted as the kids started dancing in a circle around Josie, celebrating their victory.

 

Hope ushered them inside the art room and offered Josie her hand.

 

The brunette, of course, didn’t waste time pulling Hope down in a bid for retaliation, and Hope found herself diving headfirst into Josie’s chest…

 

Revenge sure is sweet…

 

Both girls started laughing uncontrollably and Josie was soon surprised by a set of lips tenderly touching her forehead.

 

“Come on, Jo, let’s go in.”

 

Hope had kissed Josie’s forehead… And Josie’s mind went blank.

 

She later found herself sitting inside the art room next to Pedro… But didn’t remember how and when she got there…

 

Everything that had happened after the holy kiss, every action leading up to this moment in time, had vanished.

 

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And for the first time ever, Josie didn’t find the need to uncover everything…

 

Being here with Hope was enough.

 

For now, at least…

 

 

 

Art room - End of detention:

 

Miss Sommers came to get the kids and the girls decided to stay in the Art room to put back the supplies.

 

“You don’t have to stay Jo, it’s okay. I can manage on my own.”

 

“Why do you keep pushing me away?”

 

“I'm not… I just thought you might want to talk to your sister… You know to clear things up…”

 

“We already talked…”

 

“Oh, yeah?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“How was it?”

 

“It was… It was heated. But we’re okay now. I explained to her why I hid things from her… and I apologized… I don’t know how or why… but she said she forgave me already.”

 

“I'm glad.”

 

Josie smiled, surprised at how easily she always shared things with Hope.

 

The girl made her feel safe, made her feel heard and understood. And it was something, she hadn’t been accustomed to… It was something she craved and longed for.

 

Screenshot-2022-03-29-at-20-21-23

 

And for a second, she wondered… If she might be able to offer Hope the same courtesy…

 

Josie suddenly felt the necklace in her pocket getting heavier…

 

“Can I ask you a question?”

 

“Sure.”

 

“I found this next to the shed yesterday. It’s your necklace, right?”

 

Screenshot-2022-03-29-at-20-24-28

 

“Yes. It’s my necklace.”

 

“Why was it next to the shed?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

“Answer me, Hope, please.”

 

 

Screenshot-2022-03-29-at-20-00-12

 

“I don’t think you want an answer, Josie. I think you're looking for an explanation... And I think it’s pretty obvious that you already decided I was guilty…”

 

“That’s not true. I want to believe you.”

 

Hope took a step closer, initiating a stride towards her inquisitor… And whilst Hope was coming closer, Josie was backing away, both bodies stuck in a sort of hesitant dance…

 

“But you don’t believe me, Jo.”

 

“Well, I want to”, retorted Josie, practically challenging Hope.

 

“But you don’t”, repeated Hope in a low whisper.

 

“Are we going to keep stating the obvious?”

 

Screenshot-2022-03-29-at-20-21-31

 

Irritation was overwhelmingly suffocating Josie’s mind… And with every step that Hope took, Josie’s heartbeat was profusely slowing down.

 

“You don’t believe me, and yet…”

 

Hope’s expedition carefully came to an end, as one of her hands slid down the brunette’s figure and dived to attach itself to her hip, holding it steadily… But also, tenderly.

 

“Yet?”

 

Josie faltered and leaned back on the wall. Her limp body slammed on the cold concrete, knees slightly buckling.

 

This was the second time that she found herself cornered by the auburn-haired girl.

 

But unlike the first quoted encounter… she was sober this time around, much to her dismay.

 

“You don’t believe me and yet you hid the necklace.”

 

 

Hope was blown away by Josie's loyalty... Never had someone stood by her like this... Giving without expecting anything in return...

 

Hope’s palm fondly settled on Josie’s cheeks… Thumb slightly caressing the brunette’s face.

 

“I…” Josie was a stuttering mess… Prudently pushing herself against the wall… As her knees were gradually failing her. Chest heaving…She dipped her head down and stared at her feet.

 

“Why I wonder... Jo?”

 

“That’s not relevant.”

 

“Why did you hide the necklace, Josie? Why did you cover me, even though you had decided that I was guilty?”

 

“I never said you were guilty.” Josie’s eyes shifted up in a burning gaze challenging the older girl.

 

Hope gladly took on the challenge and quickly confronted the chocolate eyes by leaning even further toward her inquisitor…

 

“Let me repeat the question for the sake of my sanity. And maybe yours.

 

Why are you protecting me, Jo?”

 

“I… I don’t know, okay? Is that what you want to hear? I don’t fucking know.”

 

Hope was taken aback by the brunette’s resolve but decided not to back down.

 

She cornered the brunette even further and trapped her body with an impending union of thighs… Josie quivered in response… Arousal taking her by storm… The brunette was rocking her hips to meet her attacker’s body rather willingly…

 

“I think you do, love… I think you know.”

 

“Are you saying I'm lying?”

 

“You are.”

 

A wave of lust and desire was carefully brewing, looming behind every word and every glance. And Josie swallowed thickly, finding her mind and heart at odds.

 

“Why… Why would I lie to you, Hope?” chokes out Josie, her voice laced with uncertainty.

 

Was she trying to convince Hope, or was she convincing herself?

 

“I never said you were.”

 

“You just said that. What are you saying, Hope?”

 

“I never said you were lying to me. I merely said that you were lying.”

 

“What does that even mean?”

 

 

Josie was going crazy… Hope was driving her crazy. And yet… Josie loved every second of it.

 

Hope’s lips approached Josie’s face dangerously, hovering over her mouth tentatively, and lunged to the skin adorning Josie’s cheeks…

 

Placing two small pecks… One on each side of Josie’s face… Pressing Josie further back against the wall.

 

Warmth ignited throughout Josie’s body, travelling like a storm from her toes to her ears, lighting everything in their path.

 

“I think you are lying to yourself, Jo. And if you truly think I am an arsonist…Then the question shouldn’t be why I did it… But rather why are you protecting me, if I am what you think I am?”

 

Hope’s lips were throwing sincere words cautiously… Only to be swallowed by pouty lips… Hope started threading her hands through Josie’s hair… And the brunette found it hard to keep the conversation going…  

 

She didn't want to answer Hope's question, so she opted to explain herself instead.

 

“The necklace was next to the shed Hope… What did you expect me to do? I had to ask.”

 

Hope shifted slightly to the side… And Josie’s breath swooped back in, only to vanish when she felt teeth pierce her earlobeHope had bit her ear…Warmth liquified her body… As she heard menacing words whispered from smirking lips…

 

“Mmmm, there is a fine line between asking and suspecting… I think you skipped the first and head-dived into the second without warning, love…”

 

Josie couldn’t take it anymore.

 

Josie wanted to kiss Hope… She wanted to drown in everything Hope had to offer her…

 

But more than all that… Josie wanted to understand Hope…

 

So, she gathered all the strength and awareness she could clutch… And placed her hands on Hope’s shoulders, gently pushing her off

 

 “Look at me, please…I need you to believe me when I say that I am not suspecting you. Just talk to me. I promise you can trust me.”

 

“Okay, Jo. Spit it out. I’ll be honest,” grumbled Hope, vexed by the abysmal distance that was now reinstated between them.

 

“Did you have anything to do with the fire?”

 

“I… Had…Nothing TO DO WITH THAT FIRE.”

 

“Okay. Okay. I believe you.”

 

“Just like that?”

 

Hope’s eyebrow travelled upward ever so slightly, and Hope’s eyes inquisitively bore into their brown equals.

 

“Yes, just like that, Hope.”

 

“Your turn now. I get to ask a question.”

 

“That’s fair.”

 

“Why did you hide the necklace Jo, if you thought I was the one who set the fire?”

 

 

“Hope… I…”

 

 

“You need to say it, Jo.”

 

FOm-Vjyu-X0-AA83s-L

Source: https://twitter.com/saltzmansbitch

 

Hope licked her lips.

 

Josie’s hands fell to her sides, paralyzed by the strength of the uttered words and the hidden intentions thrown by the aforesaid verses

 

A whimper was heard as Hope’s hand slipped to Josie’s neck and ushered her closer… Closer than they have ever been…

 

The longing for words elicited agony and torture… And Josie decided to obliterate the painful yearning. Pushing herself further in, her mouth started lunging straight to Hope's cherry lips

 

Fighting for the same air, their bodies were struggling to breathe… Panting and wheezing in defeat… Unable to stop the impending nuclear merge that was slowly approaching their fates…

 

Eyes were chasing eyes until they weren’t… Bodies were chasing bodies until they weren’t… And as eyes and bodies met… Lips started chasing Lips… Slowly diminishing the distance…

 

Until that distance was no more, and an ever so slight brush of lips took both figures by surprise

 

It was as if their mouths weren’t theirs, to begin with… As if the portrayed encounter was unforeseen.

 

A single trivial chaste peck of lips… thought to be insignificant… Inconsequential… Unimportant…  Was enough to shake the world around them… And from that moment on, nothing was ever the same…

 

Hope and Josie had barely kissed.

 

And yet, electricity had erupted in a cyclone of emotions and both bodies felt dizzy the instant their lips met…

 

These ravenous lips had ultimately touched… Only to be separated by a knock on the door, as quickly as they met.

 

Hope and Josie had kissed. A chaste quick kiss that overwhelmed their senses.

 

And if you had asked them both what prompted the kiss. None of them would have been able to answer…

 

In truth, though… Hope knew that she was falling for the brunette who was willing to protect her, even at her own peril.

 

Willing to believe her and trust her.

 

Having someone’s trust like that given so utterly and unreservedly was prompting her to give her own away.

 

Which was a dangerous thing…

 

She knew it was dangerous... MIKEALSONS rarely trusted others.

 

But Hope found herself doing it anyway.

 

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“Miss Mikealson… Sorry to interrupt. I'm Detective Salvatore from the Homicide Unit. I would like to have a little chat with you.”

 

Homicide? 

Chapter 23: You really like playing with fire, don’t you ?

Chapter Text

 

I Ran (So Far Away) - Dinah Eastwood (Cover) https://open.spotify.com/track/37JRb6cexDkgxVPqcuFivc?si=076e89136c56465b

This is the link of the cover song Josie is singing in this chapter in case anyone is interested.

 

 

Music Room - Salvatore School:

 

“I walk along the avenue


I never thought I'd meet a girl like you


Meet a girl like you


With auburn hair and ocean eyes


The kind of eyes that hypnotize me through


You hypnotize me through


And I ran


I ran so far away


I just ran


I ran all night and day


I couldn't get away

 

Reached out a hand to touch your face


You're slowly disappearing from my view


Disappearing from my view


Reached out a hand to try again


I'm floating in a beam of light with you


A beam of light with you

And I ran


I ran so far away


I just ran


I ran all night and day


And I ran


I ran so far away


I just ran


I ran all night and day

 

Screenshot-2022-04-02-at-15-31-06

 

“I think it’s actually auburn hair and tawny eyes…”

 

Josie was startled by the visitor's voice… It was not a voice she was familiar with. She stopped gently stroking the piano and turned to look at the intruder.

 

Screenshot-2022-04-02-at-15-31-14

 

 

“Uhm… Yeah. Tawny eyes. That’s what I said…” retorted Josie to the stranger.

 

The girl smiled, feigning ignorance, and Josie’s face turned rosy, eyes dipping to the floor. 

 

“I gotta hand it to you, though, your voice is incredible.”

 

“Thank you. I guess I'm alright.”

 

The stranger frowned at her.

 

“Do you need the room? Sorry, I didn’t book in advance… Just felt like playing today…”

 

“Well, it shows that you’re playing from the heart.”

 

“Do you play?”

 

The girl unexpectedly moved her hands and hung them in front of the chocolate eyes.

 

The tips of her left hand were calloused…

 

A look of realization suddenly hovered on Josie’s face.

 

OhStrings!

 

“Yup… I prefer my instruments of torture compact and portable.”

 

The stranger smirked and Josie chuckled.

 

It was a weird development, but Josie didn’t feel threatened by the stranger or the fact that they were having a conversation without even knowing each other’s initials. Josie hadn’t really taken a long look at the girl yet, but she was enjoying their chat. Talking to someone that wasn’t so engulfed in their drama, was a nice change of pace…

 

“How compact are we talking?”

 

The ice-blue eyes of the stranger twinkled with mischief.

 

Oh, this school seems like fun already!

 

“I play the violin.”

 

“Oh, cool! We’ve never had a violinist here yet.”

 

“I wouldn’t call myself a violinist… But thanks for the vote of confidence. I am Ayla Lemmens, by the way.”

 

“Josie Saltzman.”

 

Josie extended her hand, but Ayla pulled her in, surprising the brunette with 2 kisses, one on each cheek.

 

“Sorry, that’s how we do it in Brussels.”

 

Brussels… Oh!

 

“You must be the new exchange student!”

 

Ayla nodded.

 

Josie took a second to look at the girl… She was gorgeous.

 

Granted, certain ocean eyes had already overwhelmed her heart. But she had to platonically admit that… Ayla’s ice-blue eyes were striking.

 

Long Jet-black silky hair adorned a beautiful, tanned face, and large eyes were coupled with long, thick eyelashes, which contrasted flawlessly with the icicle gaze.

 

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The violinist had this casual, nonchalant air about her that made her easy to approach, and yet Josie could already feel how intelligent and complex the other girl was.

 

Whoever said - The eyes are the gateway to the soul - was right.

 

And the eyes that laid bare ahead of here, were indecisive and wavering… Simultaneously radiating comfort and blazing wildfire.

 

“Guilty as charged. Your mom told me you would be here.”

 

“Ah…yes. You’re here for the grand tour…”

 

“Yes. Or…”

 

“Or?”

 

“Hear me out here…”

 

Josie raised her eyebrow and ushered for the girl to spill the beans.

 

“We can skip the tour, and go for coffee…”

 

“Interesting. What’s in it for me, though?”

 

“Are you joking? Because I take my coffee very seriously, Miss Saltzman.”

 

“Oh, coffee, and puns? I believe we have a deal.”

 

“Now on to more serious matters…”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Who’s the auburn-haired girl from the song?”

 

Josie flinched as her face flushed scarlet.

 

“Good things come to those who bait,” says Ayla playfully, “and you, my dear, have just fallen for my bluff.”

 

“Well… assuming there is such a girl…”

 

“Yes? Go on, I am intrigued…”

 

“Let’s just say, it’s complicated.”

 

“Complicated is my middle name.”

 

Josie was deep in thought and the walk to the cafeteria was silent.

 

It wasn’t uncomfortable, though. The silence was floating around like an unspoken agreement.

 

It felt like Ayla was giving Josie a choice. Take a gamble and vent, or take the easy way out and move on to a different topic.

 

And the brunette was quite tempted by the first option.

 

She hadn’t exactly talked to anyone else about what was happening with Hope… And yet it was all she had been thinking about.

 

She was drowning in turmoil amidst an unwavering thirst for Hope, but also an especially treacherous fear.

 

She was scared. Finding the necklace, protecting Hope, trusting Hope, and Kissing Hope… Were all unforeseen.

 

She kissed Hope and Hope had kissed her back…

 

It felt powerful yet draining, comforting yet defiant… It felt like a beautiful explosion of unresolved feelings… A gorgeous fusion of paradoxes… It felt exactly like Hope… Because Hope was never easy…

 

Caring for Hope meant drowning in inconsistencies and absurdities, it meant taking on heavy and unknown baggage, and not knowing where all of it led, what all of it meant.

 

And yet, Josie had hidden the necklace, Josie had trusted Hope, and Josie had kissed Hope.

 

And then a homicide detective came and wreaked havoc…

 

Her mom refused to tell her anything relevant. “Nothing is certain yet. It’s just speculations at this point, honey”.

 

But Josie needed to know what the speculations were, and how these speculations affected Hope. 

 

She needed to talk to Hope, but the auburn-haired girl was nowhere to be found.

 

So maybe playing this agonizing tune to the violinist might help… Maybe talking about it might relieve a bit of pressure.

 

It’s not like she had anyone else to talk to. 

 

Then again… She doesn’t know the girl…

 

“So, who’s the newbie?” Josie is shaken back to reality by her sister’s voice.

 

“Ayla, this is Lizzie Saltzman, my sister.”

 

“Nice to meet you. Ayla Lemmens.”

 

“Like the fruit?”

 

“Lizzieeeee” says Josie, nudging her sister with the elbow before throwing Ayla an apologetic glance, “Ignore her. Her mouth is like a magician’s hat, you never know what will come out of there.”

 

“Maybe you guys should add a trigger warning on her temple. Just in case.” Josie chuckled, almost spitting her coffee, and Ayla smiled at both twins, amused by the banter.

 

Lizzie, as usual, didn’t look happy with the jab “Whatever, citrus.”

 

A new friendship was looming on the horizon, and with everything that happened... It felt nice to just hang out with a new friend…

 

 

Flashback - Ms Forbes’ Office - Day of the Inspection:

 

……

 

“So, you’re a Mikealson?” asks Damon whilst grinning, conveying the idea that he already knew the answer to that rhetorical question, but also and especially emphasizing, that he knew pretty well who the Mikealsons were.

 

“Wow. Proving we’re a detective already. Are you supposed to be the good cop or bad cop in this little scenario?”

 

“See, I don’t mind being the bad guy. Because somebody has to fill that role and get things done.”

 

“Great!” clapped Hope in mischief, “Someone give this guy a medal.”

 

“Been there, done that” smirks Damon before winking at Hope.

 

tumblr-m6a1y1-YQvd1qik2bvo2-250

 

“Ugh!” Hope starts massaging her temple, “Look, I appreciate the little chat, but we have been here for 20 minutes already. And I keep repeating the same thing. I am telling you that I know nothing about that fire.”

 

“Innocent people tend to use contractions in sentences… I can’t help but notice that it’s not the case here…”

 

Curse you, Uncle Elijah!! Curse you for your eloquence and its shortage of contractions!!

 

“Fine, I didn’t set the fire. Are you satisfied now? Enough contractions to soothe you at night?”

 

“I sense a bit of anger. Are you okay?”

 

“Mmm… Nope. Just peachy.”

 

“No need for rage, Miss Mikealson. Just a few questions, and you can leave.”

 

“If you could go on… I would be much obliged.” Hope smirks back at him, not willing to give him the upper hand.

 

Is this smirk supposed to impress me? I invented smirking… thinks Damon

 

“Okay, Miss Mikealson. You say that you had nothing to do with the fire. And yet, Caroline told me you were outside yesterday before the fire erupted. Quite a coincidence. Don’t you think?”

 

“The keyword being Coincidence.”

 

“Very well. We also had a little chat with an old friend of yours… American… called us from a precinct… Had a lot to say.”

 

“You’re mistaken. I don’t have friends.”

 

“Oh, a loner. I see… That’s a shame. Detective Cordelia said you, too, are quite close… And she shared with us a fascinating story involving another fire…”

 

“I'm familiar with the story.” Hope interrupted him abruptly. She was not playing around any more. Her smirk gave way to a deep frown and a glacial stare, “Any other questions?”

 

“You really like playing with fire, don’t you, Miss Mikealson? No pun intended.”

 

“Some kids just never learn. You know how it is. Now, are you going to charge me with anything, or can I go?”

 

“Look, Hope, I am no stranger to bad timing. Our life is one big proverbial coin toss… And all. So, I know that you might have just been at the wrong place, at the wrong time. But I wouldn’t be a very good detective if I didn’t ask you these questions. So, try not to take things so personally.”

 

“Okay. I won’t take things personally. Pinky promise. Now can I go?”

 

Hope rolled her eyes. She was fed up with this. 

 

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“Sure. I don’t see why not. We’ll see each other again soon enough anyway.”

 

Josie was leaning on the door, trying to listen in on the conversation, but to no avail…

 

She was only hearing muffled voices… And random yet dangerous words being casually thrown around in the office:

 

“Homicide Detective…Damon… Not In trouble…Just a few questions...If you behave… Proving you’re a detective already…Bad guy… Outside yesterday… Friend of yours…Had a lot to say… Detective Cordelia… Fascinating Story… You really like playing with fire…

 

She knew she shouldn’t be snooping around and listening in… But she wanted to know what the hell was going on here.

 

Why was a homicide detective here?

 

Why was he talking to Hope?

 

And why was Hope antagonizing him like this?

 

Why does she keep playing with fire?

 

Chapter 24: Do you want me to introduce you to the English Muffin or not?

Chapter Text

 

Cafeteria - The Saltzmans & Lemmens - Part 2:

 

“Who is that stud muffin? And… OMG! Is that a British accent I'm hearing?” squeals an unabashed Lizzie, whilst taking in one of the new exchange students.

 

It’s a bit early for a Soprano, Lizzie. Don’t you think? You’re making my ears bleed,” nags Josie in response to the high-pitched squeaks.

 

“Who is that Greek God slash Supermodel?” continues Lizzie, disregarding Josie’s obvious discomfort and losing herself bit by bit in the stranger’s luminous figure.

 

Meet the Male version of Marry Poppins… Minus the umbrella, of course,” retorts Ayla humorously. Josie bursts out laughing at Ayla’s innuendo. “Fine, Trigger! No need for murderous looks… His name is Sebastian Fields,” explains Ayla, prompted by Lizzie’s growl and her sombre, signature serial killer gaze.

 

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Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/683984262143701314/

 

“Well… That boy can school me anytime…” says Lizzie in a flirty tone.

 

“EWWWWW Lizzie… I'm trying to enjoy my coffee…” interrupts Josie in disgust.

 

“Spill citrus. What do you know about that British hunk?”

 

7722769942a1484ca4f90c7066a8fdd5

Source: https://www.personality-database.com/profile/27911/lizzie-saltzman-legacies-2018-mbti-personality-type

 

Ayla raised her brow, a mischievous look in her eyes “Close your mouth, you’re drooling on my coffee… Trigger!”

 

“You mean my coffee…”

 

“Not any more. You snooze, you lose.”

 

“What the fuck!!”

 

“Thanks for the free coffee, Trigger. It tastes so much better when it's stolen from you.”

 

“Did she really just steal my coffee… And my catchphrase?”

 

“Yup, and oh, let me think … Yup! You did say you wanted to be schooled…” retorts Josie.

 

“I said I want to be schooled by that English muffin, not this Belgian waffle!!! You really are rubbing me off the wrong way, Citrus.”

 

“Relax Trigger. Here, got you another cup of coffee. I was only messing with you. No need to be so touchy…” utters Ayla in an amusing tone before handing Lizzie the much-awaited cup of heaven.

 

“Can you stop this?? Riling people up is my job. It’s what I was born to do, what I live for, what I'm good at.

 

“Maybe instead of telling me what you’re good at, Trigger… You should show me!”

 

Stop calling me that … You poor excuse of a sorbet. There ain’t enough space in this town for 2 sheriffs, so beat it or drop the act!”

 

“This ain’t Texas Blondy! Now, do you want me to introduce you to the English Muffin or not?”

 

Josie was certainly entertained.

 

Watching Lizzie and Ayla's banter was quite interesting.

 

Truthfully, she was craving popcorn right this second.

 

Or maybe a waffle. 

 

A little snack to further enjoy this cinematic masterpiece.

 

Lizzie had finally found the Sherlock to her Moriarty

 

& Josie was having a blast watching the battle of wits unfold.

 

 

Caroline Forbes’ Office:

 

“I didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news, Car, but he’s back, and he will be there at the basketball game.”

 

“I… I can’t believe this, Stefan! After everything that has happened… How dare he show his face at this school?”

 

“Hey… Don’t worry. We’ll figure things out.” He squeezes her hand gently and puts his arms around her, attempting to soothe her.  

 

"We have to…"

Dh-Z20u1-Ws-AAHg2-K

Source: https://twitter.com/FefeMarty/status/1015129447228375040/photo/3

 

“I think the girls should play. I know it’s your decision to make, but I think being in the game will help them get past this,” interjects Coach Williams.

 

“Do you agree with Dorian’s assessment, Emma?”

 

“Yes. I believe keeping them on the sidelines or in the dark could generate more harm than good. I think them playing, will help them focus on something else and will take their minds off it. Although, in the end, I think you should do whatever you feel is right. You are their mother, after all, and you know best.”

 

“I have to think about it. I do agree, however, that shielding them from this will not be possible regardless of their position on the court.”

 

“It’s not your job to shield them.”

 

“I’m their mother! Of course, it's my job.”

 

“Yes. You're their mother. And you have taught them well. Your girls are strong, and more importantly, they know when and how they should ask for help. They know you will always be there for them. And that's more than enough."

 

Screenshot-2022-04-14-at-15-43-22

Source: https://vampirediaries.fandom.com/wiki/Emma_Tig

 

 

 

Art Room - Salvatore School:

 

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

 

“I knew I would find you here. I see you're still hiding between ugly canvases.”

 

“What the fuck are you doing here, Roman?”

 

“I'm here to win you back, Hope.”

 

romans-back-legacies-s1e14

Source: https://www.tvfanatic.com/gallery/romans-back-legacies-s1e14/

 

“Are you high? Did you come all the way from the US just to tell me this crap?”

 

“No, I'm also here to help you avoid suspicion.”

 

“Oh… How selfless of you! Such a sweet guy with no ulterior motives."

 

"Yup."

 

"So, reasonably now, after all your sacrifices, we should get back together. Is that what you're trying to say?”

 

“Glad we still understand each other so well.”

 

“You’re dreaming if you think we're getting back together. This ain’t some Disney fairy tale. We're toxic, and you know that, as well as I do.”

 

Screenshot-2022-04-14-at-15-53-54

Source: https://vampirediaries.fandom.com/it/wiki/Hope_Mikaelson

 

“No, Hope. What we both know is that no one will ever understand you like I do… We are a power couple. We have always been a power couple. And I will get you back, even if I have to step on a few heads to get there.”

 

“You’re delusional!”

 

"No. You're in denial if you think anyone else will accept all the shit you've come from. All the shit you've done. No one will ever love you like I do. No one will ever accept all the dark in you like I do. So the faster you deal with it, the faster we go back to the way things were."

 

"Fuck off, Roman! I don't need a lecture from a power-crazed hormonal teenager."

 

"No. What you clearly need is a trip down memory lane. You have officially lost it. Where is the New Orleans Hope everyone wanted to date or be? Bring her back… because this version is boring me to death."

 

Screenshot-2022-04-14-at-16-00-03

 

“Uhm… Hey. Sorry to interrupt. Didn’t know you had company.”

 

“Jo?”

 

“I’ll just go… ”

 

“No, don’t leave. Roman was just on his way out.”

 

“I…  I’m Josie. Nice to meet you, Roman.”

 

“Likewise, darling.” Roman then darts a glance at Hope, “See you around, babe. Find me when you get back to your senses. I brought some of your favourite snacks with me. You know… The herbal kind.”

 

Hope massages her temple, and frustration takes over her facial expressions, moulding her eyebrows in a virtual tangled nod. Her head was pounding, and a headache was overwhelming her body and senses.

 

She couldn’t believe Roman was back.

 

That obnoxious prick.

 

Acting like they were still together.

 

Like nothing happened.

 

And now Josie was here.

 

Josie who had seen her.

 

Josie who had protected her.

 

Josie who had kissed her.

 

Hope was scared.

 

For the first time in her life.

 

Hope Mikealson was scared.

 

She feared something she didn’t understand.

 

But she still wanted it.

 

Regardless of all the reasons why she shouldn’t want it.

 

She did.

 

She wanted whatever this is.

 

She wanted all these overwhelming unforeseen feelings.

 

She wanted Josie.

 

Screenshot-2022-04-14-at-16-16-08

Source: https://tvline.com/2021/05/20/legacies-recap-season-3-episode-13-hope-landon-break-up/

 

“Hey, Jo. What is it? Is something wrong?”

 

“No. It's just… Can we talk?”

 

 

Flashback - Unknown Place - Unknown Time:

 

“You don’t have to do this… Let’s talk… I haven’t seen anything. I promise,” begs Landon, slave to a prevailing fear and dangerous unforeseen circumstances.

 

“Oh, Landon. Save your breaths. We both know you have seen more than enough.”

 

Screenshot-2022-04-14-at-16-23-14

Source: https://tenor.com/view/legacies-landonkirby-landongif-gif-24730607

 

 

I don’t want to die. Oh, God!! Please Help… Someone help me…

 

I didn’t get to do anything in my life yet…

 

I was a coward

 

Nothing but an observer

 

An observer on the sidelines…

 

And now… I only have regrets…

 

A chain of desires I didn’t achieve, trailing in my mind…

 

A path drawn with unfulfilled ambitions and unsatisfied dreams…

 

What can I do?

 

What is there left to do?

 

I don’t know.

 

I just know that … I don’t want to die.

 

Not now.

 

Not when I didn’t even get to live yet...

 

Landon's thoughts were roaming around his head and progressively travelling to his gaze...

 

He could already see his end was near... He needed to find a bargaining chip... Something to buy him some time...

 

 

“I haven’t… It was too dark…”

 

“Not dark enough, apparently…”

 

“I… I won’t say anything. I promise.”

 

“I gather no one has ever told you that you shouldn’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong? Don’t worry, It's not your fault. I will make sure you understand this time.”

 

“Help!!! Help me, please…”

 

“Scream all you want. No one will hear you here… It’s only music to my ears.”

 

“Please, I beg you.”

 

“Shhh… Calm down. No need to be scared."

 

"I… Please… Have some mercy…"

 

I didn’t want to do this, you know… But you’ve made your bed, you little snitch, so now you get to lie in it.”

 

“No … I won’t talk… No… No…. NO… NOOOOO PLEASE… NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO……”

 

“… Look at what you made me do… Now I have to clean up this mess before going back. Mmm, but at least I don’t have to hear you winning anymore.”

 

Screenshot-2022-04-15-at-09-18-17

 

Chapter 25: I Never Forget a Pretty Face…

Chapter Text

Salvatore School - Woods:

 

stefan-salvatore-damon

Source: https://tenor.com/view/stefan-salvatore-damon-tvd-the-vampire-diaries-talk-gif-12436735

 

“It turns out that the bones we found in the shed weren’t human bones.”

 

“How is that possible?”

 

“Animal bones. We just had to wait for forensics to double-check,” explains Damon.

 

“So, no bodies?”

 

“No human bodies this time…”

 

“Thank god! Finally, some good news. I really didn’t feel like informing students that their friend was found dead.”

 

“Who knows? They might have bonded over that,” retorts Damon, a mischievous smirk on his face.

 

“You’re so cynical, brother”, murmurs Stefan before rolling his eyes.

 

“Someone has to be. We can’t all puke rainbows and spit glitter like you.”

 

 

Screenshot-2022-04-21-at-16-58-29

Source: https://www.fanpop.com/clubs/damon-and-stefan-salvatore/images/30174369/title/vampire-diaries-3x18-murder-one-hd-screencaps-screencap

 

“… Any news on Landon?” asked Stefan, his voice laced with concern.

 

“No news on virgin boy yet. It’s like he just vanished off the face of the earth.”

 

“Do you think he ran away?”

 

Damon hummed in response.

 

“And what? He just doesn’t want to be found?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

“But why? He's an orphan, and this school was his home.”

 

“I’m no psychic, but I'm pretty sure a nice pair of bosoms would do the trick.”

 

“No way, a girl convinced him to skip town with her.”

 

“I think any girl or boy, for that matter, would convince that kid to join intergalactic travel, dear brother.”

 

“I… hmm. Maybe.”

 

“He doesn’t really strike me as the - iron-clad mind - kind of guy”, clarifies Damon, using the air quotes to further emphasize the lack of will radiating off Landon.

 

“He isn’t, but he still wouldn’t have left without alerting us or leaving a letter or something.”

 

“Well… You all clearly didn’t know him as well as you thought.”

 

“I'm starting to think, I don’t know anyone any more.”

 

“Ohhhh… Starting to doubt others, brother? Welcome to the dark side. We have been eagerly waiting for you.”

 

“Oh! Piss off!”

 

 

 

Salvatore School - Cafeteria:

 

“Where’s Josie?” asked Lizzie in panic. 

 

Screenshot-2022-04-21-at-17-41-05

 

 

“She said she had something to do…”

 

“That little sneaky traitor…”

 

“What’s your deal with your sister, anyway?” asked Ayla, genuinely curious to understand why Lizzie is so territorial.

 

“It’s called co-dependency, and you wouldn’t understand.”

 

“Try me.”

 

“We’re just close, okay?” Lizzie shouted at first before lowering her voice after noticing how defensive she sounded, "Since our dad left, it’s just been me and her against the world. I mean, our mom is amazing, but she’s always busy with school… And sometimes it gets hard to ask for her attention… To compete with all the other students…”

 

“Sorry about your dad. And your mom. It doesn’t seem fair.”

 

Why was Lizzie telling her these things?

 

Private things.

 

And why was Ayla being so nice? That was a first.

 

I guess talking to her did feel easy…

 

“It’s alright. I have Josie.”

 

“I can see that. You guys seem really close. I wish I had that.”

 

“You’re not close with your siblings?”

 

“Nope. Don’t have any.”

 

“Oh, okay.”

 

“I am close with my mom, though. Always have been.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah. She’s Lebanese. Came to Belgium to finish her studies and met my dad there. She’s happy, I guess. But I could always feel like something was missing in her life. I think she misses her family and her country. We don’t go visit much any more, because of the situation there.”

 

“Sorry to hear that. Is it that bad?”

 

“Kind of. There’s an ongoing financial crisis… People who could go packed and left. And those who couldn’t, ended up staying.” Ayla forces a breath out before continuing, “When I say couldn’t leave, I mean that they didn’t have the financial capabilities or educational baggage to leave. And so, most of those who stayed can’t even feed themselves … And when people are hungry …. They slowly start to lose their minds…”

 

“I… I don’t know what to say.”

 

“It’s okay. I also don’t know what to say to my mom. I mean, part of me is Lebanese, but I have never lived there… So, I don’t really know how she feels.”

 

“We were also in the US before coming here, but I don’t remember it much, so I can’t say I miss it.”

 

“Exactly. That’s how I feel. Like part of me knows this country … But I don’t feel like it’s mine to lose.”

 

“Mmm… Lebanon? What language do they speak there?”

 

“Mmm… They speak Lebanese or, rather, Arabic. Spoken Arabic is slightly different from the written one.”

 

“And you can speak Arabic?”

 

“Yeah, my mom taught me.”

 

“That sounds so cool.”

 

“It is. I can also speak French.”

 

“Wow.”

 

“How many languages do you speak?”

 

“Mmmm, two. I can speak English, and … Klingon.”

 

“Oh… Uhm… Interesting. Isn’t that the Star Wars language? I don’t think we had that option at school.”

 

“It’s Star Track, actually, you illiterate human.” Lizzie punches her in the stomach playfully, “And here she comes again. You really can’t stop poking, can you?”

 

Ayla stares at Lizzie with a smirk on her face. “Guess not.”

 

Lizzie blushes.

 

“So, joking aside. We need to devise a plan and orchestrate my Meet cute with the hot British babe.”

 

“Can’t you just go and say hi, like a normal person?” Ayla rolls her eyes, further accentuating how silly this seems.

 

“Oh my god. How conventional can you be? Get your head out of that thrift shop shoebox and help me brainstorm.”

 

“Okay, Mam. Got it.”

 

“Oh, yeah?”

 

“Yup. I got a brilliant idea.”

 

“Why are you looking at me like that? What are you planning?” asked Lizzie threateningly.

 

Ayla didn't answer.

 

She looked Lizzie in her eyes, conveying a cryptic challenge before she quickly stood up and turned towards the British boy they were just talking about.

 

“Hey, Sebastian. Wuhuuuw… Over here… Yes. Come over…”

 

Ayla ushered the boy over and Lizzie started devising 600 vicious ways of killing her over and over again.

 

“Shut up… Shut it… I will suffocate you in your sleep, revive you, and then bury you underground… I hate you!! I will kill you, Lemmens!”

 

“A little harsh, don’t you think? But at least you used my actual name this time.”

 

Screenshot-2022-04-21-at-19-11-03

Source: https://www.ujackets.com/product/legacies-sebastian-jacket/

 

“Ayla. I was wondering where you were hiding,” interjects Sebastian. He quickly tries to throw his arm around her in an attempt to greet her, but Ayla manages to dodge his arms by lowering her head. She smiles at him instead and waves.

 

“Not a fan of hugs, I'm afraid, Seb. Anyway. Long time no see. Sit down, let’s have coffee.”

 

“Uhmm… Sure thing.”

 

“In fact. I’ll go get you a cup.”

 

“Oh, no. I can’t accept. I'm a gentleman, after all!”

 

“I insist. Oh, and…” she pokes him on his shoulder, “Have you met Lizzie Saltzman?”

 

“I can’t say I have. And I never forget a pretty face.

 

Lizzie’s face turns scarlet before completely burning to a crisp when Sebastian takes her hand gently and places a kiss on its back.  

 

You can take me now dear Lord … I am utterly fulfilled, thinks Lizzie prompted by overwhelming ecstasy.

 

Screenshot-2022-04-21-at-17-39-36
Source: https://screenrant.com/legacies-sebastian-lizzie-toxic-relationship/

 

Ayla is holding a laugh, whilst witnessing the scene that is playing ahead of her.

 

If time travel were real, she would have thought she was back in medieval times.

 

The only things that were missing were the castle and the horse.

 

And she guessed Lizzie didn’t need those to swoon.

 

T he girl was already naming their babies … Hansel and Gretel, perhaps.

 

 

Salvatore School - Parking lot:

 

“Hope… Slow down. Where are we going?”

 

“You said you wanted to talk…”

 

“What does that have to do with me chasing you?” asks Josie crossly, her eyebrows frowning into a wavy fold. 

 

“Simple. We’re going somewhere to talk.”

 

“It’s a school day, Hope. My mom will kill us. Let’s just go to the music room.”

 

“Someone always interrupts us at the school. I just want to…”

 

“What?” Josie catches Hope’s hand and turns her enough to gaze into her ocean eyes inquisitively. “What do you want?”

 

Screenshot-2022-04-21-at-19-31-05

 

“I just want to spend one day with you. Away from distractions. Is it too much to ask… Too quickly?”

 

“I… No."

 

"Yeah?"

 

"I think I would like that too. But how are we leaving? It’s not like you can teleport us out of the school.”

 

“No… But we can take this baby out of here.”

 

“NO WAY!! NO WAY, HOPE. I never agreed to this. How did you even get this?”

 

“My family sent it as a parting gift, I presume.”

 

“Your family sent you a motorcycle overseas as a parting gift?”

 

Motorbike

Source: https://www.lux-review.com/luxury-motorcycle-brands-that-you-might-want-to-check-out/

 

“Yes. Now, can you close your mouth? It’s not a big deal.”

 

“Hope. Forget it. I'm not dying on a motorcycle. Not today.”

 

“Don’t be dramatic. It will be fun! Come on, live a little. I promise I won’t speed up. Here, you can even take the helmet.”

 

Josie doesn’t get a chance to respond as Hope slowly approaches her and places the helmet on her head.

 

Josie’s breath hitches in her throat, and she stops moving as her eyes trail Hope’s palms, gently tucking a strand of the brunette’s hair behind her ear before smiling at her and fastening the strap.

 

“Is this okay, or is it too tight?”

 

".............."

 

Josie is completely and utterly out of it… Blushing uncontrollably and aggressively, trying to breathe…

 

“Josie? Is the helmet too tight? I can…”

 

“No... No. It's not that. It’s okay.”

 

“Okay, Jo.”

 

The brunette looks at her with those vulnerable chocolate eyes, and Hope finds herself in a raging internal battle.

 

Hope fights her instincts screaming at her to lunge and seal the deal with an ethereal, divine, holy kiss.

 

Her lips are right in front of the brunette’s face. A few trifling inches in, and she’s there, bathing in sunlight.

 

But Hope knows that if she starts this… She might not have the courage to stop.

 

No, scratch that. She undoubtedly wouldn’t have the audacity to halt her lips.

 

And so, she pushes herself back, with all her might, and hops on the motorcycle.

 

“Hop on, Saltzman!”

 

“Are you sure, you wouldn’t rather spend a nice day at the cafeteria?” says Josie in a final attempt to dissuade Hope from leaping into a crazy adventure, albeit she ends up getting on the motorcycle and delicately awaits Hope’s instructions.

 

Hope hums before capturing Josie’s arms and placing them around her, palms tenderly laid on her stomach.

 

Butterflies erupt in her body, without warning, but that doesn’t stop her.

 

She grins at Josie and gently caresses her hands, before turning her face back towards the exit and moving her hands to the handlebars.  

 

“Hang on tight, Jo.”

 

Screenshot-2022-04-21-at-19-35-11

 

Chapter 26: Never, Jo, even if you bring out the devil in me!

Chapter Text

Salvatore School - Woods :

 

 

The-Vampire-Diaries-Caroline-and-Damon-Salvatore-Candice-Accola-and-Ian-Somerhalder

Source: https://screenrant.com/the-vampire-diaries-damon-friendships-ranked/

 

 

“Don’t shoot the messenger, Care. I am only doing you this courtesy because you’re my brother’s lover.”

 

“Lover? What is this a Taylor Swift album?”

 

“Okay let’s cut the bullshit. Listen, Caroline. Maybe Vardemus will get through to you, but I will repeat my assessment just in case."

 

"Go ahead."

 

"The fire was intentional and the little shit who did it is at this school. We need to know who was out of bed roaming around the woods at night."

 

"And how would we do that exactly?"

 

"Interviews with roommates can help us reduce the suspect list. Bottom line is we're going to conduct these interviews, whether you give us your approval or not.”

 

“Fine. Emma will be present though. These students are minors after all.”

 

“Whatever. If it were up to me, the whole country would watch me smirk at suspects on BBC.”

 

“Ugh…”

 

“Okay. I will get Vardemus’ approval. I think Emma’s presence shouldn’t be a problem. It might help students feel at ease. Seeing a familiar face and all.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“Sure thing, Care. Any other requests?”

 

“Yes. I want to be there when my daughters are interviewed.”

 

“They won’t be interviewed for now.”

 

“How come?”

 

“They are already on the suspect list, Care. They have no one to vouch for them, no alibis, same as Hope.”

 

“So, what you’re saying is…”

 

“Yes, the suspect list includes for now: Hope, Josie, and Elizabeth. In that order.”

 

1 - Hope

2 - Josie

3 - Elizabeth

 

“Get out.”

 

“Relax. There will be other names to keep them company.”

 

“Get the fuck out of my school, Damon.”

 

“Gladly. We can talk later when your hormones are in check, Blondie.”

 

 

 

Edinburgh - God knows where…

 

“Hope, we’re going to crash… HOPEEE!”

 

“Stick to our deal Jo, pick a route.”

 

“FINEEE! RIGHT, TURN RIGHT!”

 

“YES MAM.”

 

“UGH! You’re insufferable.”

 

“Perhaps, or… You just bring out the worst in me.”

 

“Maybe you should drop me off now, then. Save face and all.”

 

“Never.”

 

“What?”

 

“Never, Jo, even if you bring out the devil in me!”

 

Josie’s words vanished in thin air coupled with the sole capacity to evoke those meaningless words.

Her brain went into oblivion, stuck in a temporary haze, a haze that might go on infinitely.

How is it possible that Hope, bloody Hope who speaks so little, her words so few, her silence so consuming, can manage to shut Josie up with just a couple of words?

How is it that this woman can utter these words so confidently?

How is it that she gets to utter words that hold out immeasurable value and act like they’re simple greetings?

 

Josie was utterly screwed and no answers, none whatsoever could measure up anymore.

 

“H.. Hope… I…”

 

“Left, or right?”

 

“What?”

 

“Left or Rights Jo?? Come on…”

 

“LEEEEEFT. LEFT FUCKING LEFT!!”

 

“Language Jo.”

 

They both burst out laughing and Josie huggs Hope even tighter, prompting the driver to go even faster…

 

 

Edinburgh - American Diner:

 

“Why are we here, love?”

 

There she goes again calling her love. As if this word was the most careless in the world.

 

Josie was on the verge of a heart attack.

 

“I just thought you probably missed your home. If you’d rather go somewhere else, we can. There is…”

 

“No, no. It’s a great idea. I do feel like having milkshakes.”

 

josie-saltzman-kaylee-bryant

Source: https://tenor.com/view/josie-saltzman-kaylee-bryant-josette-josie-saltzman-the-vampire-diaries-legacies-gif-16776221

 

“Great. Choose a booth.”

 

“Can’t do. You know that we have a deal, Josie Saltzman.”

 

“Oh my god, Hope. You’re so persistent. Fine. Turn right.”

 

Hope smirked before winking at her and sitting down.

 

c2a11e55440c7e51ac7178de28fa7f88

Source: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/834010424758220238/

 

Josie hesitated upon choosing her seating, but then Hope patted the seat beside her and the brunette silently slipped next to her.

 

Josie felt like they were playing house. I mean Hope was being so charming … And this date had been quite thrilling so far.

 

Date?

 

Was this a date?

 

They never said it was…

 

It felt like a date though…

 

But they were also friends… Friends who kissed…

 

Was that supposed to mean anything? Josie's brain was turning to mush. 

 

“Let’s play a game.”

 

“Hunh?”

 

“My uncle Kol used to do this thing when I was little.”

 

“What thing?”

 

“He said that whenever I was sad, I used to run away and shut everyone out."

 

"Seems familiar."

 

"Anyway, he would chase me, and we would play this game. A sort of give and take, he would call it. He would answer one of my questions and I would answer one of his."

 

"Oh?"

 

"He would start off with something silly like my favorite book and then gradually, he would get me talking.”

 

“That's sooo cute. I wish I knew you when you then..."

 

"How come?"

 

"You must have been different ... more unguarded, I supose.”

 

Screenshot-2022-04-24-at-15-42-59

 

“I can promise you that I have always been guarded. Comes with the family name, I'm afraid.”

 

“Alright, alright. I’ve never pegged you for a game person though.”

 

“The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”

 

“Hamlet. A fan of Shakespeare?”

 

“You seem surprised.”

 

“Maybe a little."

 

"Good."

 

"You never cease to surprise me. Just when I think I have you all figured out, Miss Mikealson.”

 

“Yes, Yes ... All part of my charm.”

 

“Okay. So, favorite color.”

 

“No way. You already asked. It’s my turn.”

 

“It was a rhetorical question.”

 

“It still counts.”

 

“Ughh…fine.”

 

Josie’s pout is back on, and Hope finds herself unable to resist those puffy lips and chocolate eyes.

 

Like I can say no to this deadly combination…

 

“It’s red btw. What's yours?”

 

“Yellow.”

 

“No way. Never met someone that liked yellow.”

 

“Well, there’s always a first.”

 

This girl is really something else…

 

“I guess so. Although I have to admit that with you… I'm having lots of those… "

 

"huh?"

 

"No. I mean…” whispers Hope, almost as if talking to herself.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

“Hope Mikealson. What did you mean?”

 

“You’re kind of… Sort of … You’re the first girl I kissed.”

 

Oh… So, we are talking about it…

 

“You never kissed another girl? before”

 

“No.”

 

“Did you ever catch feelings for a girl before?”

 

“Not until now, I suppose.”

 

“Until now? Oh.”

 

Hope looks away and Josie feels the older girl start to get nervous.

 

So, she does what Josie does best … (Josie had always been good at calming people, at grounding them).

 

The brunette slowly moves her hands towards Hope’s hand.

 

She gently captures it, and soon interlaced fingers are all both girls can think about.

 

Screenshot-2022-04-24-at-15-53-59

 

“I…”

 

“You don’t need to say anything. This. Us now. It’s more than enough.” Josie raises Hope’s hand to her lips and ever so gently turns it to place an elusive adoring kiss on the older girl’s palm.

 

The girls sit in comfortable silence relishing in each other’s company.

 

Hope had never thought holding hands would be so nerve consuming.

 

She never, before now, thought so much about "not sweating".

 

A tip to you readers: the more you think about not sweating, the more your body does it.

 

Hope’s hands were soaked, so she did what any normal teenager would do. She feigned being thirsty (although that was partially true… Being with Josie did always leave her in insatiable thirst) and called the waitress over to order their drinks.

 

Oh, and she managed to wipe her hands on her pants in a sly manner.

 

If Josie noticed, she didn’t say anything. The brunette happily ordered a strawberry smoothie, whilst the older girl ordered her usual peanut-butter blast milkshake.

 

“What’s your biggest regret in life?”

 

“From colors to regrets. You’re not playing fair Jo.”

 

“You said there were no rules.”

 

“I guess you're right. Smart-ass. Well, I’ve never been one to like small talk anyway.”

 

“Vanilla is too mainstream for Miss Mikealson, I suppose. So come on… Answer.”

 

“My biggest regret is not spending enough time with my parents. Although I don’t think enough is the right term. In reality, there isn’t enough time in the world… I just. I wish I had more time with them... Before they … Were gone.”

 

“I'm sorry. I didn’t know. How did they?”

 

“Die? It’s okay Jo. You can say the word. They died in a fire.”

 

"A fire?"

 

"Yes... Can we just not..."

 

"That's why you were so freaked out when the shed caught fire."

 

"Yes, partly."

 

“I’m really sorry about that, Hope. You don’t deserve any of it.”

 

“Trust me I do. It’s my parents that didn’t deserve it.”

 

“Don’t say that. You’re too hard on yourself sometimes.”

 

“What about you?”

 

“My biggest regret?”

 

Hope hummed in response.

 

“Letting my dad have so much control over my life for so long."

 

Hope looked unphased, so Josie continued. 

 

"You know. I used to wait for him by the window every single day, waiting for him to realize that he made a mistake, that he shouldn’t have chosen booze over us, over his family, his kids, and his wife. I used to pray every day for him to wake up. Used all my Christmas wishes asking for his return. You know how pathetic it is for a kid to ask a random Santa in a random mall for a dad. Everyone used to think my dad was dead, and now that I think about it. I wish he was. It probably would have been easier. It ruins you. Thinking that your dad doesn’t want you. I spent years thinking I wasn’t worthy of him, that I wasn’t enough. I spent years thinking about what we did to drive him away. And I just. I wish I didn’t lose so much time thinking about him. He did not deserve a single second.”

 

Josie’s glassy eyes were tearing up and Hope’s hand found hers again and squeezed.

 

“Okay, maybe we should move to a lighter subject. When did you know you were into both girls and guys?”

 

“I don’t know. I have never thought of it that way. I think human beings all float around back and forth on a sort of sexuality spectrum. Some just realize it sooner than others. I have always been attracted to people for who they are.”

 

“You fall in love with whoever you fall in love with.”

 

“Exactly.”

 

“My turn. I think…”

 

“Go ahead…”

 

“Shhh… Wait a second.” but Josie didn’t go on. She raised her index finger and was lost in thought for a few seconds “It’s his curly hair… Oh my God. That’s him, I'm sure.”

 

“Are you okay? Jo? What is it?”

 

Hope saw the brunette stand up, rushing to get out of the booth “I'm sorry Hope but he’s here.”

 

“Who are you talking about?”

 

Josie started running towards the exit.

 

“Jo, what’s going on?”

 

“It’s Landon. I'm sure. It’s him. I saw him going out.”

 

Hope was startled. She quickly left a hundred pounds bill on the table and went after the brunette.

 

“Josie, can you slow down? Wait for me! Josie?”

 

“It’s him. I'm sure. I need to find him.” Josie was running and running and running after the curly-haired boy “Landon? Landon? Wait. It’s me. It’s Jo. Landon… Please slow down, I just want to talk to you.”

 

Screenshot-2022-04-24-at-16-54-38

Chapter 27: You shall lose another Teen…

Chapter Text

 

Edinburgh - Outside the American Diner:

 

“It was him. I’m sure. I need to find him.” Josie was running and running after the curly-haired boy “Landon? Landon? Wait. It’s me. It’s Jo. Landon… Please slow down, I just want to talk to you.”

 

Josie’s behaviour was shifting to an erratic degree, and boy, did she know it...

 

She was agitated most of the time and perplexed when she wasn’t.

 

Her sleep patterns were quite unusual. Come to think of it, the last time she slept was ... In Hope's bed.

 

Oh! Hope… Why couldn’t you have come to this school any sooner?

 

Maybe you would have witnessed a more ordinary Josie… A typical girl who likes singing... A typical girl with no issues or stress …

 

A typical high school girl with ambitions and dreams.

 

But no… You had to come to school this year … And kiss me after my childhood friend was kidnapped…

 

And then take me on our first date ... Or whatever it's called ... After a fire erupted on school grounds …

 

What a fucked-up timeline.

 

Hope feels like ... It feels right with her.  But can the right person come at the wrong time?

 

And if so… How would this even work?

 

“Josie, can you slow down? Wait for me! Josie?” Hope was practically whimpering at this point, striving to catch up with Josie.

 

The brunette was running ahead with no clear objective or target... Chasing fears and dread. 

 

Hope couldn’t see any curly-haired boy, or any boy for that matter.

 

All she could see were streets, absorbing all the emotions erupting in the air, absorbing sunshine and injecting it into its soles.

 

The pavement was getting harder and warmer under Hope’s shoes and Hope was getting tired of running. Hope was an athlete, yes, but running without a ball turned out to be harder than expected.

 

The tall brunette suddenly stopped, caught out of breath, and Hope just slammed into her, not able to slow down her pace before the crash.

 

A violent collision brought 2 bodies together, and the auburn-haired girl caught the brunette, preventing her dive. 

 

“Jo. Are you okay?”

 

Josie hummed in response.

 

"Jo. Hey. Talk to me."

 

“It was him. I'm sure… It was Lan…It was him…”

 

The city held a merge of different sounds, encompassing wheels and random chatter. It was calming in a way as if the streets were reassuring both girls that life would carry on.

 

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“I believe you, Jo.”

 

“Oh my god! You must think I'm crazy.”

 

“I don’t.”

 

“Or maybe I am… I’m losing my mind.”

 

Josie snapped at Hope.

 

Josie snapped at herself.

 

Josie snapped at the world.

 

“You’re not. Listen… It’s okay. Your mind just keeps searching for him because you care about him, and that’s okay."

 

"It is?"

 

"You feel responsible because he's your friend, and you think you should have done more. But you're doing more than enough, Jo. And it's not your fault ... If he ran away, or if someone, God forbid, kidnapped him... It was not your fault.”

 

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Hope gently lays her hand on Josie’s shoulder and squeezes it in reassurance.

 

“I just…”

 

“Breath. I'm here.”

 

“I need a minute.”

 

“Take all the time you need, Jo. I'm not going anywhere.”

 

“I beg to differ!” says an anonymous voice.

 

Well, in all honesty, it wasn’t really anonymous per se.

 

It did feel familiar, yet it was ruining their moment.

 

An unwanted Intrusion. An Unsolicited Arrival. An Undesired Interruption.

 

“What the F?” whispers Hope, clearly annoyed by this interference.

 

“I wouldn’t finish that sentence if I were you”, responds Matt Donovan with a smile on his face.

 

“How did you? I mean… Who t?”

 

“Let me guess. Who told me, and how did I find out where two teenagers would hang out?”

 

“Uhm…Yeah, basically.”

 

“Let’s just say I was a teenager myself once upon a time…”

 

“Back when dinosaurs were roaming the earth" whispered Hope with a smirk on her face. 

 

“What was that, Miss Mikealson?”

 

“Mr. Donovan” interjects Josie, trying to salvage any chances left to get out of this situation unscathed “We were just…”

 

“Save it, Miss Saltzman. Your mother is waiting for you.”

 

Matt-Donovan

 

“My mother?”

 

“Yes. And the last time I saw her, she did not look happy.”

 

 

Oh, fuck my life! - thought Josie.

 

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Josie is abducted out of her thoughts by a hand that rests slowly on her wrist.

 

“Come on, Miss Saltzman. I don’t have all day.”

 

The brunette clearly seems fazed by this gesture but doesn’t get a chance to respond.

 

A hand quickly encircles the gatekeeper’s hand and pulls it away.

 

“Keep your filthy hands off her.”

 

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“I… I would say you’re pushing it. A bit too far, if I may add, Miss Mikealson.” retorts Matt, his voice laced with absolute irritation, betraying his careful, patient words.

 

“You’re right." interrupted Josie. "We’re sorry, Mr. Donovan. We’re coming. But would you mind dropping us off in the parking lot to pick up Hope’s vehicle?” 

 

“What do you mean? I thought you took a taxi.”

 

Josie knew she had just royally and imperially fucked up.

 

“Ehem… She means my bike. It’s okay. You go ahead with Donovan. I will follow you on my bike.”

 

“It’s Mr Donovan to you, Miss Mikealson.”

 

“Yeah, sure. Mr D,” answered Hope, evidently amused by these exchanges and trying to buy them some time before their unpleasant meeting with the furious headmistress and angry mom - AKA Caroline Forbes. 

 

An angry Caroline Forbes is never a pleasant sight. Josie can tell you that much.

 

Matt, on the verge of handing in his resignation after this encounter, chooses to ignore Hope and walk towards his truck.

 

“Are you sure, Hope?”

 

Josie noticeably didn’t want to part ways but understood the delicacy of the situation.

 

She knew that adding a motorcycle to the equation would not be a good idea. Her mom would flip. 

 

“Yes, Jo. I'm sure.” Hope winks at her and Josie’s worries slowly but surely go into hibernation: for the moment being at least.

 

 

Edinburgh - In Matt’s truck:

 

“What were you thinking, Josie? Scratch that. You clearly weren’t,” snapped Matt. 

 

“I just wanted to have fun for once.”

 

“You make it sound like you’re in prison. You’re allowed to have fun, Josie. You don’t need to break the rules to do that. Rules are there for a reason,” states Matt calmly, trying to soften the foreseen calamity.  

 

“Yes, making our lives miserable.”

 

“There was a boy that disappeared... He was maybe even kidnapped, Josie. Do you really think now is the time to have an existential crisis?”

 

“Yes!! Now is exactly the time to do that. We’re all mad and sad. You guys should cut us some slack!”

 

“Look, Josie, I have known you for a long time and trust me, I understand what you’re going through…”

 

“No, you don’t. I don’t want to hear your bullshit.”

 

“Hey… I'm not the enemy here.”

 

“You adults always lie to our faces. You aren’t even telling us what’s happening. You think we’re too young to understand, too soft to take the blow. But the thing is, the real blow is you lying to us and keeping us in the dark.”

 

“You’re right. We should have been honest with you about what’s going on but running away isn’t the best plan to convince us that you’re ready to understand.”

 

“Even if we’re not ready. It’s not your call. We have a right to know. He was our friend. He is our friend.”

 

“Look, I get it. Your mom is really mad, though, so I would suggest that you calm down before we get there. Trust me you speaking up right now is only going to make things worse. I will try to talk to Caroline about holding an assembly and giving you some updates about the situation.”

 

“Fine. Thanks Mr. D”.

 

“Don’t start with this Mr. D crap… One Mikealson is more than enough.”

 

“Okay. No need to be so sensitive. I was just joking.”

 

“Since when do you joke around with your teachers?”

 

“Well, technically, you aren’t.”

 

“Oh my god, Miss Saltzman. Don’t even go there right now.”

 

“Alright, alright. I rest my case.”

 

Matt hummed in appreciation.

 

“Mr. Donovan?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Thank you for letting me vent.”

 

“Better me than your mom.”

 

“Shit…”

 

“Miss Saltzman!!!”

 

“Fine. Fecal Matter!”

 

“Very mature, Josie.”

 

“That’s me.”

 

 

 

“O'Oh… I can see blond hair and a huge scowl. Your mom does not look happy.”

 

“Is it too late to turn the car around? I hear Glasgow is really nice this time of year.”

 

“Nice try. May the force be with you.”

 

“Oh… No! Not another Star Wars fan. Changed my mind. Drop me off right here. I would rather face Mom than another Chewbacca wannabee.”

 

 

Salvatore School:

 

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“And the runaway bride finally comes back.”

 

Well, at least her mom was joking. Good sign? Nope. Caroline’s face definitely held no good intentions. She looked like she was on the verge of vomiting insults or punishments. Josie didn’t know which was worse.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“Not good enough.”

 

“Look, Mom, I’m sorry. I don’t know what you expect me to say.”

 

“How about that you made an unforgivable mistake? How about the fact that you ran away with an arson suspect? How about the fact that you left when a boy disappeared a few days ago? Does that ring any bells?”

 

“Don’t call her that.”

 

“Really? That’s what you caught? Out of everything I said. That's what you're annoyed with. I don’t know what's happening to you, but I'm not liking this new version of you.”

 

“What new version of me? Someone who tries to have fun for once?”

 

“No! No, Josie. Someone who breaks the rules with utter disregard for my feelings and your sister's feelings. I was scared to bits. I was scared out of my mind when I found out…”

 

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“How did you find out?”

 

“It doesn’t matter.”

 

“It does to me.”

 

“This friendship you have with Hope. It has run its course.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“The whole plotting and running away. It has got to stop.”

 

 “Plotting?? Oh my God, mom... really? It's true ... we're part of the three musketeers and we're scheming to overthrow the French crown. En garde, Mother!”

 

“This is no joke, Josie. Do you see me laughing?”

 

“I can’t take you seriously, Mom. I don’t know what you want from me. You don’t like Hope. Thanks for sharing but so what? If you don’t like her, don’t hang out with her.”

 

“You have to cut her off.”

 

“You don’t get to make that call.”

 

“Oh, watch me.”

 

“No. You don’t get to pick my friends.”

 

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“You have been raging out ever since you met her. It’s like you’re a totally different person. And I just want my daughter back.”

 

“You mean you want the docile Josie? The Josie that doesn’t question your decisions and rules. The Josie that obeys you blindly disregarding her feelings and desires. That old Josie? Well, I don’t want her back.”

 

“I think you’re confusing respect for obedience.”

 

“I’m happy. Why can’t you see that?”

 

“That’s all I want, baby. But not when you’re betraying yourself and your beliefs.”

 

“I'm entitled to my own opinions and beliefs, Mom. You can’t make me follow yours.”

 

“While that may be true. I can make you follow my rules, and you will follow them.”

 

“Or what?”

 

“You really don’t want to test me right now, Jo. You’re not to see Hope except in Basketball Practice. At least until the arson charges are cleared.”

 

“That’s bullshit.”

 

“Language! And I'm not finished yet. You will be grounded. No more phone privileges. Hand me your cell phone right now.”

 

“Oh great! So, you want me to isolate myself?”

 

“Not necessarily. You can pretend It’s the 1950s and talk to people.”

 

“Just not Hope.”

 

“Exactly.”

 

The more she gets along with Hope… The more she keeps falling out with everyone else.

 

How is this ultimatum fair?

 

Does one need to give up on love just to stay afloat in all this societal pressure?

 

I mean, it wasn't love... Not yet ... But it could be ... It really felt like it could be

 

With Hope, it felt right.

 

But everything else was getting in the way.

 

Josie was in tears in under a minute. A storm of emotions shook her body violently and her breathing became erratic.

 

“Please don’t cry, Jo. Upsetting you is truly not my intent. I’m doing the best I can under the circumstances and you’re making things very hard.”

 

“Why are you doing this?”

 

“I’m not doing this to punish you, baby. I'm worried about you. I was worried sick and if Penelope hadn’t stepped up, I don’t know what I would have done. If something had happened to you. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself.”

 

“What do you mean Penelope stepped up?”

 

“It was a slip-up. Penelope had nothing to do with this.”

 

“Too late to change the story now.”

 

“Get back here right this second.”

 

“We’re done. But don't worry, I'm doing exactly what you wanted. Just pretending it’s the 1950s and heading in to talk to my ex-girlfriend, making conversations and all. Yey! Fun!!”

 

Screenshot-2022-05-11-at-20-18-23

 

“Josie. Leave her alone. She didn’t …” but it was too late. Josie was storming up the stairs, anger flushing her skin and mind. Penelope was dead meat, and Josie was going to finally teach her a lesson.

 

 

Salvatore School - Penelope’s room:

 

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“Jojo” was Penelope’s final word before a slap took her by surprise.

 

“This is the last straw. I have been nothing but nice to you and you have been nothing but cruel.”

 

“What?”

 

“I have waited and waited for you to be civil again. But nothing. And then you go behind my back and tell on me. What is this? Kindergarten? Are you this threatened by my relationship with Hope that you would go and do this? You had no right.”

 

“I wouldn’t do that to her.”

 

“What?”

 

“I wouldn’t do that to Hope. We’re friends. And although I didn’t know you were in a relationship, I wouldn’t sabotage it if I knew.”

 

“Oh. Well, we aren’t. I don’t know. I mean, we didn’t really talk about it… I don’t know what me and Hope… I mean, what we are …”

 

“Focus…”

 

“Yes, Sorry. Anyway, I didn’t know you were friends.”

 

“Well, we are. And I'm your friend too. Even if you don’t think so.”

 

“Did my mom lie? So You didn’t snitch?”

 

“Not exactly. She didn’t lie and I did snitch. But it wasn't like that. It's not what you think. Let me explain.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“I wouldn’t … you know?”

 

Screenshot-2022-05-11-at-20-07-20

 

Josie raised her brow in curiosity.

 

“I wouldn’t hurt you again. I know I fucked up… Before I mean.”

 

“Fucked up might be the understatement of the century.”

 

“Yeah. Well, I wouldn’t hurt you again, though.”

 

‘What happened, P?”

 

“I told your mom. That much is true. But it wasn’t because I wanted to tell on you or sabotage your date with Hope.”

 

“It wasn’t... A date, I mean…” responded Josie, her face scarlet red.

 

“Whatever. I didn’t even know you were with her. I told her you were missing because I found a suspicious letter in my locker.”

 

“A letter? What do you mean? You’re not making any sense, P.”

 

Penelope raised her index finger to Josie’s lips to shut her up and Josie blushed slightly, surprised by the skin contact.

 

“You probably won’t believe me. But I found this letter. And it sounded so creepy. After Landon’s disappearance… I just didn’t want to take any chances. I thought you might be in danger…”

 

Penelope handed her the paper and Josie’s eyes were drowning in horror. Josie gestured for Penelope to read it out loud, finding it harder and harder to speak.

 

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Penelope’s tongue started an infamous dance, and wicked poetry came out of her mouth…

 

There is a place where Lost Kids go

I’d tell you where, but I don’t know

 

One Kid was lost before the spark

Taken abruptly in the dark

 

Another has departed today

Daughter of the Queen at bay

 

If you don’t alarm the Queen

You shall lose another Teen

 

The future appears to be chequered

I urge you to act

 

- The Salvatore Shepherd.

Chapter 28: Three is the Magic Number

Chapter Text

Salvatore School - Penelope’s room:

“Okay, I’ve deciphered the messages, and I think you were right. It’s clearly referring to me.”

 

There is a place where Lost Kids go

I’d tell you where, but I don’t know

 

One Kid was lost before the spark

Taken abruptly in the dark

 

“Yeah. I mean, the 4 verses, in the beginning, are obviously about Landon,” interrupts Penelope.

 

Another has departed today

Daughter of the Queen at bay

 

“And then they’re saying the queen’s daughter left, which I assume is me. Although, departed can also mean died,” resumes Josie.

 

“Yeah. But in this case, it makes no sense. I mean, the queen is definitely the headmistress in this scenario, so your mom. And it’s not a coincidence that you left school on the same day I received the letter. Everyone else was here, including your sister, who was throwing herself at Anthony Bridgerton,” explained Penelope thoroughly before raising her eyebrows for further emphasis on the matter. 

 

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“He’s called Sebastian.”

 

“Whatever. What’s her deal with accents anyway? She’s always running around after foreign students.”

 

“No idea. If I remember correctly, she always had a thing for exotic boys. She once followed a guy she met to Sweden for the holidays.”

 

“And there was the French douchebag she met in Paris.”

 

“Mmm yeah, I forgot about that one; he was such an obnoxious prick." retorted Josie, her eyes darting toward the left side as her brain took a short, unwanted trip down memory lane.  

 

“So your sister likes following random men around the world."

 

Josie hummed in response, clearly uncomfortable with the discussion and attempting to get back to their main focus. Penelope, however, did not seem to get the memo. 

 

"Kind of like a lustful Carmen Sandiego.” 

 

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“Penelope!!!!! Oh my God. Moving on. The second part is about telling my mom. And then there’s the threat.”

 

If you don’t alarm the Queen

You shall lose another Teen

 

“Exactly. This shepherd dude is saying: you will be lost like Landon if I don’t tell your mom.” 

 

“What puzzles me is that this person sounds like a concerned parental figure”, states Josie in a sombre voice. "It kind of freaks me out, to be honest. How calm they sound even though they're basically saying I could be kidnapped."

 

The future appears to be chequered

I urge you to act

 

- The Salvatore Shepherd.

 

“Calling themselves the Salvatore Shepherd… WTF does that even mean?” asks Penelope in a sarcastic tone.

 

 “And using - urge you to act - in a sentence. I mean, who even talks like that in this century?”

 

“That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it?” retorts Penelope, a giant smirk on her face.

 

Do you think it’s some kind of sick prank?” uttered Josie cautiously in a brittle, almost choked-up voice.

 

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“No offence Jo, I know you’re some kind of - Einstein reincarnation - and all, emphasis on Einstein” retorts Penelope raising her fingers up in the air and curling them into an air quote gesture “but this seems a bit far-fetched. I mean, who would go to the trouble of writing a fucking poem with one of those damn feather pens just as a joke?”

 

“A Quill pen.”

 

“What?”

 

“It’s called a Quill pen”, repeats Josie, her brain lost in a sea of random gut-wrenching thoughts.

 

“Really? That’s your takeaway from my monologue?”

 

“Sorry. I’m distracted. I just don’t understand what nutjob would do this and what for?”

 

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“I’m pretty sure we can figure out the who, since the what for is, obviously, to mess up your date with Hope.”

 

“It wasn’t a date.”

 

“Can you focus, please? I don’t really care what you choose to call your saliva exchange, Jo,” interrupts Penelope with a seemingly uncomfortable gaze “I mean that maybe it’s one of your hardcore fans.”

 

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“What do you mean?”

 

“For someone so smart, you can be so dense sometimes when it comes to human interactions” Penelope’s expression shifted from calm to irritable as the conversation went on. “I mean that there was a certain someone that made a scene at the party, practically kissing you in front of everyone, including your sister, almost dragging you out of there, and actually punching Hope.”

 

“No way. He wouldn’t.”

 

“I don’t know. I don’t think writing rhymes takes a lot of balls, and your homeboy does like rapping.”

 

“This doesn’t sound like Rafael at all. It actually sounds like a Scottish Napoleon wrote this.”

 

“Maybe he got inspired… I mean, he probably got some help from… Oh, I don’t know the Worldwide Web.”

 

“How would he even know your locker combination?”

 

“I don’t know the specifics, Sherlock. I’m just saying it’s a possibility.”

 

“I guess. At this point, anyone could be guilty. My mom was also acting weird.”

 

“Yeah, your mom telling me to tell her about something she already knows makes a lot of sense. More importantly, why would your mom refer to herself as Queen? Narcissistic much?”

 

“I’m just saying whoever wrote this knew I wasn’t at school, but I haven’t told anyone, so something smells fishy.”

 

“Just because you haven’t told anyone, doesn’t mean walls don’t have ears or eyes, Jo."

 

"Mmmm... I guess so."

 

"Do you think your sister might have told on you?”

 

“I don’t think so. I haven’t told her. Actually, no one knows, except you obviously…”

 

“Obviously. Well, don’t worry, your secret is in an endless well.”

 

“Thanks. I appreciate this, Pen.”

 

“Sure thing.”

 

“I should tell Lizzie. I know that much is true. I’m just worried about her reaction.”

 

Penelope hummed in response.

 

“Maybe she will be supportive, and I’m just overdramatizing things”, explained Josie in a hopeful and inspirational tone.

 

“Without a doubt. Lizzie is supportive and I’m Fa Mulan.”

 

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“Can you not start your turf war with my sister right this instant? It's really not the time for this.”

 

“Fine. I guess you should do whatever you feel like doing, Jo. I just think you should deal with one thing at a time. Maybe talk to lover boy first… And then move on to the wicked sister.”

 

“I will. Just not today. I have enough on my plate as it is. Can we keep it between us for now?”

 

“Like I said, Jo, infinite well."

 

"Thanks. I appreciate this!"

 

"What else is on your mind? You can talk to me, you know… I'm here for you.”

 

“Nothing important. Just my mom being a female version of Hitler lately… I don’t know what’s gotten into her, but living with a dictator is starting to get on my nerves.”

 

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“Well, speaking from experience, parents tend to fuck up a lot even if they try to do the right thing,” says Penelope, trying to deflate the situation.

 

“I just don’t get it. I have always been trustworthy… Or so I thought. And now it’s like she’s questioning everything I do, every decision I make, even though I’m still the same person.”

 

“I think they try to fix their own mistakes by living vicariously through us… Or at least that’s the case with my mom.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I mean, she’s always telling me how I am supposed to be this big-shot lawyer, how it’s some sort of legacy I need to follow, just because she didn’t have the opportunities I have and it was her dream. And it’s like I didn’t just inherit the PARK surname. No, I also get her dreams as a mandatory handout.”

 

“That’s fucked up.”

 

“It is. I can tell you one thing, though. I'm sure your mom thinks she’s doing the best for you, even if bossing you around is a screwed-up way to show it. She will come around. I think she was just worried.”

 

“Yeah, maybe. By the way, Pen, I'm really sorry for the …”

 

“Fruit punch?”

 

“Mmm yeah. I shouldn’t have jumped to conclusions, and I definitely shouldn’t have slapped you.”

 

“Hey, after everything. I don’t really blame you. And congrats, that was quite the slap. You should maybe think of joining the boxing team.”

 

“Yes, I’ll add bitch-slapping to my resume.”

 

“In this reference, am I the bitch, or are you?”

 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?"

 

Penelope answered with her famous smirk. 

 

"Anyway, I’m gonna head out, Pen, and I’m taking the letter with me if it’s okay with you.”

 

“Yeah, if I never see a letter again. It will be too soon.”

 

Josie hummed before bursting into genuine laughter “I guess today hit me harder than I expected. Sorry for the excessive giggling.”

 

“I get it. You never need to apologize for laughing" Penelope eyed the brunette cautiously before continuing her speech "Jo, I need to know, are you gonna tell Hope about this?”

 

“I'm not sure yet.”

 

“Let me know if you find out something else about the so-called shepherd or whatever, okay? I don’t want you doing your investigation alone.”

 

“Aye, Aye, captain!”

 

 

Salvatore School – Ayla’s Room:

 

“Trigger, what are you doing here? I need to get changed. I have PE in 20min.”

 

“I wanna see your wardrobe”, explains Lizzie, her head already inside and her body following its lead.

 

“What the hell?” snapped Ayla, clearly annoyed by the sudden intrusion.

 

“Lemmens. We’re going on a double date tonight.”

 

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“Did you just call me by my actual name?” asked Ayla, her voice laced with shock and bewilderment.

 

“Are these your shoes? You only brought flats with you? That’s just barbaric,” countered Lizzie, clearly disregarding Ayla’s questions.

 

“Trigger, I’m not going out with you and your new boo.”

 

“Come on, it will be fun. Sebastian said he’s bringing a friend.”

 

“Lizzie, I’m not interested.”

 

“Pleaaaaase. Come on. I have never asked you for any favours in my life.”

 

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Lizzie is imploring those beautiful glacial eyes looking back at her in shock, attempting to penetrate Ayla’s gaze and reach her heartstrings to tug at them.

 

“Lizzie, we literally just met. What the hell are you talking about?”

 

“I need you to distract Sebastian’s friend.”

 

Oh no! Not the puppy dog eyes… Lizzie is really bringing out the big guns.

 

“What do you mean distract his friend? Lizzie, I didn’t fly overseas to juggle.”

 

“Come on, I only need you to bring your charm and those blue eyes. I mean, you’re like the second hottest girl in school after me, of course.”

 

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“Of course. Do you even know if it’s a girl or a guy I’m supposed to distract?”

 

“Does it matter? I think you probably would be able to charm both.”

 

“Not my question, Trigger.”

 

“Okay, truth is, I don’t know. I’m just nervous, and a familiar face would help.”

 

“Okay.”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Yeah. Okay. I will be there. Why didn’t you ask Josie, though?”

 

“I don’t know where the hell she is. Why do you think I came here?”

 

“So, I was your second choice?”

 

“Let’s just say, The Queen B always has a plan B.”

 

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“Glad to be of service then.”

 

“I'm going to go see where Josie is. Now that you mentioned it. I'm getting a little worried.”

 

“I'm sure she's here somewhere.”

 

“Well yeah. She can’t disappear. This isn’t Hogwarts.”

 

Ayla hummed in response before rolling her eyes at Lizzie’s absurd responses.

 

This woman could render anyone utterly speechless and Ayla was quickly becoming a woman of fewer words.

 

 

 

Salvatore School – Library:

 

“I can’t believe we have to do this stupid assignment. I think I would have actually preferred to listen to Miss Montgomery’s ranting…”

 

“Maya, for the love of God, can you stop droning? It’s boring enough as it is, I don’t need to hear you endlessly whining. Come on, less nagging, more working.”

 

Jade was slowly regretting her decision. Paring up with Maya was not the smartest of ideas. At this point, even Lizzie would have been a better choice. At least she could have distracted her with a fashion magazine.

 

“Fine. At least we’re together, I guess. It could have been worse. I could have been paired with Alyssa.”

 

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“Way to see the silver lining”, retorted Jade before turning her eyes upward, summoning any holy entity to get her out of this mess.

 

“Okay, so we need to find previous legacies of this school. What does that even mean?”

 

“Well, if you had listened to the teacher, I wouldn't need to repeat this."

 

Maya hummed and batted her eyelashes at the angry blond. 

 

"Fine. Listen. We only need to pick one of the previous graduates, going back 10 years or more, and create a sort of database about them using what we can find in previous yearbooks, catalogues, computer databases and the internet.”

 

“How is stalking people, supposed to make me smarter?” inquired Maya in a sarcastic tone.

 

“It’s to increase your digital literacy, you moron.”

 

“Hey! Don’t speak to me that way. You’re so irritable these days. Are you pregnant or something?”

 

“What?? No. Let’s just get on with it."

 

"Fine."

 

"Where are you going, Maya?”

 

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“I'm going to ask Miss Jenna where the yearbooks are.”

 

“Good idea.”

 

Jade watched Maya leave just to notice her coming back 5 seconds later.

 

“That was fast.”

 

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“Well. It looks like someone beat us to it. I found an ancient yearbook on her desk.”  

 

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“And you just took it?”

 

“I doubt anyone else is using it. The other groups must have brought it back. It’s full of dust anyway.”

 

“Maybe Miss Jenna was using it.”

 

“You mean like stalking an old boyfriend or something?”

 

“I don’t know. Do I seem like a seer to you? I mean, she’s a librarian, not a nun, so why not?”

 

“Mmm, plausible. We’ve all had boyfriends before, even Penelope.” 

 

Maya started laughing out loud at her own Joke. 

 

“Can you keep it down?? It's a library. Do you want to get us kicked out for snooping and screaming?? Here, give it to me.”

 

Jade picked up the yearbook and started flipping through the pages. A sticky note, which was wedged practically in the middle, caught her attention.

 

“That’s weird” interjects Maya. “This sticky note is definitely new.”

 

“Tres magicae numerus est” reads Jade in bewilderment “I took Latin ages ago, but I only remember numbers, to be honest."

 

"So?"

 

"Well, I know that the first word means three.”

 

“Let me look up the rest of the words online”, shouted Maya. “It says here that it means - three is the magic number.”

 

“What the hell is this fairytale crap?”

 

“Isn’t that the headmistress?”

 

“Where?”

 

“Here in the photo. It looks like some kind of club.”

 

“It says Tres. There goes that number again.”

 

“Jade. Look at the names.”

 

Bonnie Bennet, Lexi Branson, Davina Clair, Caroline Forbes, Marcel Gerard, Tyler Lockwood, Haylee Marshall, Elijah Mikealson, Freya Mikealson, Niklaus Mikealson, Rebecca Mikealson Are they the key?

Kai Parker, Alaric Saltzman, Damon Salvatore, Stefan Salvatore and Josette Laughlin.

 

“Three names are underlined. Who are - Haylee Marshall and Josette Laughlin - exactly?”

 

“I have no idea. Look at the crossed-out names… The pen is black.”

 

“So?”

 

“Jade. The pen that crossed out the names is black. But look at the other pen. It’s blue.”

 

"Do you think that two different people checked out this yearbook?"

 

“Or maybe it's one super devoted person who likes colour-coding their notes."

 

"This is so weird."

 

"Miss Jenna is hardcore.”

 

“Maybe we can ask the Saltzmans about it. I mean, look, there’s Caroline Forbes but also Alaric Saltzman.”

 

“Who’s that?” asked Maya eyeing her partner curiously.

 

“It’s Josie’s dad. He was the coach here a few years ago.”

 

“Oh, okay. Well, let’s just go before Miss Sommers finds us with this incriminating evidence. I am going to put it back on her desk,” explained Maya.

 

“Wait, let me take a photo of this page first.”

 

 

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Jade handed her partner the yearbook before watching Maya hide it under her jacket.

 

The raven-haired girl started walking Ninja style towards her target area, tiptoeing and swiftly waving around her hands, virtually swimming to the desk.

 

Jade admitted to herself that her friend was a certified nutjob most of the time, but she found herself laughing in spite of everything. Maya was really something. 

 

“Well, that was unexpected. Who are we going to pick for the assignment, though?” asked Maya, having returned the yearbook to its original spot.

 

“Let’s just do an expose on Miss Forbes. Flattery will get you everywhere, my friend.”

 

“Finally, something we can agree on, my dear Jade.”

 

 

Salvatore School – Headmistress’ Office:

 

“I know it’s none of my business, but you should give her a break.”

 

“You’re right. It’s none of your business, Matt.”

 

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“Hey, Care, listen. I know you’re going through a lot lately but just try to remember that so is Josie.”

 

“It’s not the time. I appreciate you trying to help, but not now, please,” interjects Caroline, her gaze pleading and weary, her body exhausted, her posture begging her friend to just stop talking and let her be.

 

“With all due respect Caroline, I have always been there for you all.”

 

“I know…”

 

“And you are aware that out of all of us, Josie has probably always been the most mature. We both know that."

 

"It's just..."

 

"She’s allowed to go crazy sometimes. Lord knows we've all had a few crazy nights of our own.”

 

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“I…”

 

“Come on. Even goody two shoes Stefan had his moments.”

 

“That he did.”

 

“Although, with my nerdy track record, I should probably shut up.”

 

“You were always mad at everyone for talking in class. Such a loser,” said Caroline, feigning disgust and rolling her eyes before bursting into laughter. Matt always knew how to make her smile and it was something she really liked about this friendship. 

 

“Hey!! You guys would always chit-chat chat, even during exams.”

 

“Okay, Okay Chill, Geek. I apologize on behalf of our adolescents selves”.

 

“That's more like it. I finally got the respect I deserved.”

 

“Yeah Yeah, don't push it, Donovan.”

 

“Yes, Boss."

 

Caroline winked at him before giving him a royal salute.

 

"Did you talk to Hope yet or is she still not here?”

 

“Nope, but I’m starting to get worried. Can you check if she’s here yet? Miss Mikealson is probably trying to hide herself until I forget about the incident.”

 

“Probably.”

 

“She reminds me of her father sometimes.”

 

“Care. Your phone is ringing.”

 

“That’s not mine. That’s Josie’s phone.”

 

“I’ll leave you to it then. Going to see where the little Mikealson is.”

 

Caroline picks up the phone. The screen reads Mopey Hopey.

 

“Who the hell is that? Mopey Hopey??”

 

Caroline debates whether answering would be crossing the line… She decides to ignore it, and the phone stops ringing...

 

That is until it starts ringing again for the second time.

 

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“Hello?”

 

“Hello, mam. I am calling you on behalf of Miss Mikealson.”

 

“Who is this? Where’s Hope?”

 

“There was an accident…”

 

“Where is she? I'm on my way.”

Chapter 29: Do you play chess Miss Saltzman?

Chapter Text

Salvatore School – Cafeteria:

 

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“Josette and Elizabeth Saltzman, Hope Mikealson, Maya Machado and Jade Hayden. Report to Miss Tig’s Office immediately.”

 

Damon barked his order with a huge smile on his face. That was definitely the best part of his job: interrogating suspects and grilling liars.

 

“No offence Mr. Salvatore but you’re not exactly a teacher here, so we’re not going anywhere until you tell us what this is about?”

 

Lizzie was clearly not impressed with this vulgar display of power.

 

Her anger was quickly exerting dominion over her thoughts.

 

That dumbass was acting all cocky just because he gets to interrogate teenagers. Nope. Lizzie would not stand for this.

 

Defending her peers was a role she would willingly take on because… Well, because who else would have the guts?

 

“Oh, a feisty one, I see. I take it you must be Caroline’s daughter. If you want the short version of things, you are all suspects of arson, and I would like to know who between you is the avid pyromaniac. Emphasis on maniac.”

 

“We’re all minors. You can’t talk to us without adult supervision”, Interjects Josie standing behind her sister in a display of support.

 

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“You must be the second daughter. The know-it-all who likes playing with fire. Heard you particularly like burning your ex-lovers. Quite a coincidence," retorted Damon, clearly not impressed with this comeback. 

 

“I…” Josie was taken off guard. How the hell did he know these things about her? 

 

“Cat got your tongue, Miss Saltzman?”

 

“Can we go already?” intervened Jade, sensing Josie’s discomfort.

 

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“Yes. As soon as Miss Mikealson shows up.”

 

“Miss Mikealson is currently absent. You can talk to her later, Damon. Let’s go. I don’t have all day”, retorted Miss Tig, clearly unamused by these exchanges.

 

“One of the suspects ran already? I guess my job just got easier”, stated Damon with a huge smirk on his face.

 

“Hope is with Caroline, and they’re not in school. Hurry up, girls” Emma ushered them outside, her gestures laced in discomfort and urgency.

 

“This is so not fair, Miss Tig. The suspects are supposedly only girls. How convenient for patriarchy. Also, how is it that it’s only us? Maybe it’s one of the newcomers”

 

“Lizzie, are you for real? We weren’t even here when the fire erupted,” declared Ayla unamused by Lizzie’s absurd accusations.

 

Was she really trying to widen the pool of suspects by throwing them all under the bus?

 

“Or so you say. Maybe you were here all along, and your accent is just a cheap fake imitation.”

 

“Miss Saltzman, I admire your loyalty to feminism, but this is really not the time. Move it along, girls” murmured Miss Tig hoping to speed things up. She was not entertained by this: babysitting was not something she particularly enjoyed doing, but babysitting Damon was another kind of special nightmare.  

 

“Where the hell is Hope?” asked Josie disregarding everything else that was happening around her.

 

Typical Josie: when it comes to Hope, everything else stops mattering in a second.

 

“Who cares? At least she doesn’t have to sit through another one of Damon’s monologues,” replies Lizzie in haste to cut this pity party short.

 

“This is so bad, Liz. So bad. I was outside that night, and they know I burned Penelope’s hair last summer.”

 

“Hey, just chill” Lizzie took her sister’s hand and squeezed it hard. “It could be worse.”

 

“How? How can it be worse than this?”

 

“I don’t know. I’m thinking…” Lizzie took a deep breath and bit her lip as she recalled the shitty situation they were both in “Okay, we’re so screwed.”

 

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Salvatore School – Miss Tig’s office:

The girls reluctantly followed the detective down the corridor. Josie and Elizabeth were holding hands, whereas Maya and Jade were whispering continuously, trying to share their insights on what was going on and attempting to get their stories straight.

 

“What the hell are these cables and monitor here for?” shouted Maya at the sight ahead. The equipment set on the table seemed familiar. She was a fan of police TV series, and she had seen these devices several times on her screen before.

 

Why the hell would they need these to interrogate mere teenagers?

 

Legacies-S4-Maya

 

“Oh, this little old thing? Just a little something I like to call lie detector.”

 

“It’s called a polygraph”, stated Josie, her voice full of loathing.

 

“Correct, Miss smarty pants, and for that, you get to be first.” Damon winked at her and beckoned the technician to start the required preparations.

 

“I…”

 

“I want to start. As the older and smarter sister, I should lead by example,” intervened Lizzie shoving her sister behind the table.

 

“Lizzie, we’re twins.”

 

“Let’s not dwell on technicalities.”

 

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“Fine, Elizabeth. Hop on!” declared Damon, not caring who of the Saltzmans would start as long as he got to grill someone.

 

“This is not an automatic bull, detective, but I appreciate the sentiment.”

 

“You Saltzmans always need to have the last word. Frankly, you’re both exhausting!”

 

“We’ll take that as a compliment”, answered Lizzie with an enormous smile on her face.

 

“Maybe the others should wait outside, Damon”, suggested Miss Tig noticing the apprehension and unease lingering on everyone’s faces and frightened by the obvious discomfort that was maliciously haunting and taunting the atmosphere.

 

“No, Emma. I want them to see what happens to liars. Lizzie wanted to lead by example so let’s respect her wishes. Let’s start.”

 

damon-salvatore-ian-somerhalder

 

“Bring it on, old man”, whispered Lizzie under her breath, smiling at him as if to provoke him.

 

“State your full name.”

 

“Elizabeth Jenna Saltzman.”

 

“State your parents’ names.”

 

“That was a cheap shot, detective. My parents’ names are Caroline Forbes, and oh that’s it for today, folks.”

 

“Heart rate going up, my dear. Relax.”

 

“Can you just ask me if I did it or not and get on with this charade?”

 

“I don’t take orders from you, and I choose the questions here."

 

"Wow. So tough."

 

"Anyway, did you burn the shed, Miss Elizabeth?”

 

Lizzie rolled her eyes at this banal mockery.

 

Yeah, right, you choose your own questions. Wow just blew my mind with this one. I didn’t see it coming.

 

“I didn’t burn anything.”

 

“Whoops. Wrong answer. Red light. Heart rate rising. Would you like to try rephrasing it maybe?”

 

“I mean, I didn’t burn the shed.”

 

“Okay. Green light."

 

"Shall I applaud?" answered Lizzie with a huge mocking grin on her face. 

 

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"Do you know who burned the shed?”

 

“No.”

 

“Who’s your roommate?”

 

“My sister.”

 

“State her name.”

 

“Josette Saltzman.”

 

“Was she in the room when the fire erupted?”

 

Lizzie was starting to get nervous. Her brave face was dissipating slowly, and beads of sweat were travelling down from her hair, settling on her neck, choking her breaths and pumping her heart rate brutally.

 

“I… She was probably in the bathroom. I think.”

 

Damon caught the unsettling nerves and beamed at the golden opportunity presented ahead.

 

“A simple yes or no suffices, Miss Elizabeth.”

 

“No.”

 

“Good. We’re done.”

 

“What?”

 

“You can go.” Damon attempted to steer Elizabeth’s body out of the wicked chair, planning on drowning someone else’s intellect in the exact same spot.

 

“I’m not going anywhere without my sister”, retorted Elizabeth, her body glued to the seat like it was cemented on it.

 

“You have basketball practice, and I promised Coach Williams that you will be there as soon as you’re cleared. I just wanted you here to incriminate your sister. So, job well done. You can go, Miss Saltzman.”

 

“Damon, can you stop riling them up? Elizabeth, your sister will follow you out in a few minutes. Please just go ahead.”

 

“Go Lizzie, I will be fine” Josie placed her palm on Lizzie’s back, her fingers slightly fidgeting, and gave her sister a light push driving her hastily out the door. She then took a seat at the malicious throne under the detective’s eyes.

 

This time, Damon insisted on setting up everything, leaving the technician on the side with nothing to do.

 

If josie was not squirming before, having the detective so close, just in front of her, was playing with her mind. She felt like he was fastening chains and hooks, heaving magnets and clips, shackling her and binding her to this foreseen trap.

 

She was confined, wedged between incriminating herself and incriminating Hope and what scared her the most was that she preferred the former to the latter.  She was willing to take the blame, if it meant Hope could be cleared.

 

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“Josie the floor is yours my dear. State your name.”

 

“My name is Josette Lucas Saltzman.”

 

“I hope it’s not the only truth that will come out of your mouth today.”

 

“One can only hope”, teased Josie.

 

“Do you like fire, Josette?”

 

“No.”

 

“Wrong answer, my dear. Try again. Do you like fire?”

 

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“Yes.”

 

“Why?”

 

"Why what?"

 

"Why do you like fire?"

 

“What is this? A trick question?”

 

“Just answer.”

 

“I…”

 

“No need to be shy. Allow me to repeat the question, my dear. Why do you like fire?”

 

“I suppose it’s relaxing. Looking at it. Witnessing the power that fire has, the power to obliterate everything in its path with just a flicker. I like that.”

 

“So, you like power?”

 

Josie looked at the detective. She looked him straight in the eyes and grinned fervently.

 

 

He wanted to play with her mind. Good for him.

 

But two can play this sick game.

 

And little did he know Josie had two sides, much like a coin: depending on the toss at hand, the spectator could witness heaven or hell.

 

Damon had flipped this coin in the air, and today, much to his dismay, it landed on the Underworld.

 

“Who doesn’t?”

 

“I suppose you’re right.”

 

“Is there a significance to all of this nonsense that you’re asking?”

 

“Do you play chess, Miss Saltzman?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then you know that every move your opponent makes must have a purpose even if you don’t know it.”

 

“Mmm, maybe. Or maybe it’s wrong to waste a move on a tired hunch.”

 

“A tired hunch Hun? How do you suppose I should solve this arson then?”

 

“I don’t know about arsons and crimes. I’m no detective. But in chess, I move in silence and only speak when it’s time to say checkmate. So, I would recommend less blabbering and more detecting.”

 

“Very sly. Let’s get on with it then. Did you burn the shed?”

 

“No.”

 

“Do you know who did?”

 

“No.”

 

“Wrong answer, my dear, or should I say Checkmate?”

 

“I… I’m not lying. I don’t know who did it.”

 

“Wrong again. Is it someone from the school?”

 

“No”

 

“That’s a yes. Mmm, fascinating.”

 

“Can we stop? I’m tired.”

 

“Don’t worry. It won’t be long anymore. Is it one of your friends?”

 

“I…”

 

Josie was caught red-handed. The more she spoke, the more she was digging, and the more she dug the closer Damon got to catching Hope.

 

She had to do something. She had to find a solution.

 

 

I need to confess. I need to buy Hope some time to get herself out of this mess.

 

“It’s….”

 

Josie didn’t get a chance to finish her sentence as the monitor shut down unexpectedly before being dragged to the floor and pulled down by flying cables.

 

“What the fuck just happened?”

 

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“Oups. I must have tripped on the cable. I’m sorry,” shrugged Maya holding out both hands up, her eyelashes fluttering speedily and her face feigning innocence.

 

“You’re sorry? You broke the fucking machine. Do you know how much these cost? Damn kids.”

 

“Well, I mean it comes from the taxpayer’s money, so technically, our parents are paying these”, interjected Jade, moving Maya away from the furious detective.

 

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“Alright, alright, Damon, that’s enough for today. Girls, go to practice, please.”

 

 

 

Salvatore School – Corridor:

 

“Thanks, Maya. You saved my ass.”

 

“I didn’t do it for you, but you’re welcome.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I know you were protecting Hope.”

 

“How did you …”

 

“Well, I know it’s not me or Jade, and the polygraph cleared you and Blondie, so that leaves Hope.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“Yeah. Oh.”

 

“What are we going to do?” asked Josie, her mind swaying in utter confusion.

 

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“We need to warn her before it’s too late. Do you know where she is?”

 

“You heard Miss Tig. She’s with my mom.”

 

“And that would be where exactly?”

 

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

 

“Okay, it’s not the time for your little quarrel. We should go to practice now, or else we will raise more suspicion. We will figure out the rest later,” said Jade before brutally dragging both girls forward like they were dead weight.

 

 

 

Hospital:

 

“I'm looking for Hope Mikealson. Please can you help me? I'm Caroline Forbes. There was an accident… and I came as soon as I could. So please just…”

 

“Miss, please sit down for a minute, and I will let you know.”

 

“No, I need to see if she’s okay. You don’t understand. Her parents are my friends, and they trusted me with her. She has to be okay.”

 

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“Okay, Miss Forbes. I just need to check where she is on the system. I promise I will tell you as soon as I know anything. Try to calm down and rest for a minute.”

 

 

Caroline couldn’t do as she was told, which was ironic because she usually loved giving instructions.

 

Today, however, knowing that Hope might have hurt herself because she was too focused on everything else made her body an unresponsive one.

 

The latter was fidgeting in place, her eyes flying to every door and passageway available, as if searching for a way out.  

 

A young man suddenly entered the waiting room. Dressed in a white coat with a statoscope hanging on his neck, he scanned the place, as if he was searching for something.

 

“What’s the commotion about?”

 

“It’s nothing Dr Tyler, just a concerned parent.”

 

“Dr Tyler, I'm Miss Forbes, headmistress of the Salvatore School. One of my girls had an accident. They told me she’s here.”

 

“Who told you?”

 

“The EMT called me from her phone.”

 

“Okay. That’s quite unusual. What’s her name?”

 

“Hope Mikealson. Auburn hair, blue eyes, short and athletic.”

 

Dr Tyler had the kindest eyes Caroline had ever seen. He gazed at her trembling hands and placed a palm on Caroline’s shoulder, trying to comfort her.

 

“She’s doing okay.”

 

“Can I see her?”

 

“Yes, of course, but she’s resting. Don’t worry. She’s doing okay. She broke her arm and had a small concussion, but she’s sleeping now. Sometimes the body’s response to trauma and pain is shutting down. It helps the patients by postponing their agony.”

 

“Are you sure Hope’s okay?”

 

“Yes. We're also doing all the necessary tests to be extra careful."

 

"Good..."

 

"Don’t worry. I'm keeping her here under observation for a few days just to monitor her state. She might experience some discomfort, nausea, and headache. I just want to be sure that she’s 100% okay.”

 

“What happened?”

 

“It seems her breaks were defective or something. Witnesses said she was ushering them to move, but the motorcycle wasn’t stopping until the crash. She’s a smart girl. The guy who brought her here said she did the best she could, under the circumstances.”

 

“Someone brought her here?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Can I see her right now?”

 

“Right this way.”

 

 

Salvatore School – Basketball Court:

 

“I have some bad news, girls, but I don’t want you to panic.”

 

“Great start.”

 

“Spare me your comments, Miss Saltzman. You and Alyssa will both behave today, or you will face the consequences.”

 

“Don’t compare me to barbie girl, Coach.”

 

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“Not another word from both of you today. I mean it.”

 

"And Josie, your punishment has been lifted."

 

"Why?"

 

"Because I said so. I'll talk to your mom about finding another option.. We need you for the game, especially with Hope gone."

 

“What’s wrong?” asked Penelope, her voice laced in alarm.

 

“Your teammate Hope will not be able to join us for practice today, nor will she be able to join us at the game.”

 

“Why? Where is she?” interjected Josie like an unforeseen flying arrow disrupting everything in its path.

 

“She’s visiting some family abroad and won’t be here for our practices and might miss the game, so I need all of you to triple your efforts, especially you, Penelope. I know you can’t play the whole game, but I might need to keep you there for most of it.”

 

“Okay, coach, you can count on me.”

 

“All of this worry for Mikealson? She’s probably at the police station in a prison cell.”

 

“Zip it, Alyssa or I swear I’ll…” Josie’s fists were up and ready to teach this tormentor a well-deserved lesson, but were both caught and pulled away by Penelope.

 

“There, there, Josie, no need to be angry. I’m sure you’ll join her soon.”

 

“Alyssa out" barked Coach Williams. 

 

“Not fair”, mumbled Alyssa under her breath “Whatever. At least I don't have to sit with a bunch of freaks!”

 

“Jade, you’re in charge today. Start with warmup exercises.”

 

 

 

Salvatore School – Josie & Lizzie’s room:

 

“Ew… Why is Hades texting me?”

 

“Can you speak English, please?” Josie rolled her eyes at her sister’s odd antics.

 

“It’s Park. She says she needs to talk to you. Apparently, she might have a lead on the shepherd. What does that even mean?”

 

“Nothing. It’s an Inside Joke. Forget it.”

 

So Penelope knows something about the Salvatore Shepherd... Josie decided she would go see her tonight after lights are out. Maybe they could also figure out how to help Hope with these accusations. Damon will soon know, who she was refering to, if he doesn't already.

 

“Whatever. You both are delusional, and I want no part in your nostalgic return to the maleficent ex.”

 

“We’re not back together, Lizzie. She's just helping me with homework. Anyway, can I call mom from your phone?”

 

“Just because we shared placenta, doesn’t mean we need to share phones, sis.”

 

“Lizzie. I’m not kidding, it’s serious.”

 

“Okay, Okay. Here take it, Miss grumpy pants.”

 

 

Josie entered the digits in a few seconds as if her life depended on this call. Lizzie, on the other hand, sat next to her sister, practically glueing her ear to the outer part of the phone.

 

“Mom?”

 

“Josie?”

 

“Where are you?”

 

“Running an errand.”

 

“Where’s Hope?”

 

“She had to leave school for a few days.”

 

“What do you mean? Where is she?”

 

“Look, Josie, you lost your phone privileges after your little stunt, so give your sister her phone back.”

 

 

Lizzie nodded before reaching for the phone, and Josie slapped her sister’s hand brutally, shifting away from her to walk around the room.

 

 

“Where’s Hope, mom?”

 

“I already told you.”

 

“No, you haven’t”

 

“She left Scotland for a few days.”

 

“Oh yeah, without any stuff or clothes?

 

“It was an emergency.”

 

“You’re such a bad liar, and you don’t even try to hide it.”

 

“Are you calling me a liar, young lady?”

 

“Tell me where she is right this instant. She wouldn’t have left without telling me.”

 

“I beg to differ. I have to go, Josie. Behave until I’m back.”

 

“I thought dad was a piece of shit, but you’re so much worse. At least he doesn’t pretend to love us.”

 

“What did you just say?”

 

“You heard me.”  

 

“If your dad is so much better, why don’t you go live with him then?”

 

“Maybe I will.”

 

 

A deafening silence took over both sides of the call.

 

A loud hush, a mute scream, a blaring severing.

 

Caroline couldn’t take it anymore.

 

That was Josie.

 

Her baby girl.

 

And she was being too harsh on her.

 

She knew it, deep down... She did.

 

But the monster in her head wouldn't stop making things worse.

 

Everytime she uttered hurtful words, she kept on uttering more...

 

“Jo, Baby, I’m sorry I didn’t mean it. I shouldn’t have said that."

 

"..."

 

"Can we talk when I’m home, please?”

 

Caroline heard an exasperated last breath travelling from her ears to her broken heart before the phone went silent and beeping followed.

 

And at that moment, she knew: she made a huge mistake.

 

4

 

Chapter 30: A Bittersweet End!

Chapter Text

 

Flash-forward – 2 weeks Later (for those who don't know -->

A flash-forward scene is a scene that will happen at a later time than the main story)

 


FUTURE TIME

 

The atmosphere was a peculiar mixture of reminiscence and gloom, an ambience worthy of this bittersweet end.

Bittersweet End… Yes. That is what they were all calling it. Each and every one of them. Claiming to be here for the deceased whilst parading around in black clothes, carrying them like ornaments, trying to embody the divine favour they endeavoured to accomplish.

 

The scene playing ahead was pure theatre and drama: a stage play performed in a funeral rather than an auditorium, one where the actors are also the audience and vice-versa.

 

A charade that is known but, nonetheless, carried out.

 

None of these people cared. Every one of them was here for their own interests. The better half was here for closure and the others to feign support and sympathy.

 

No one was here for the person slumbering in the coffin.


A Bittersweet End. Such an odd term to use at a funeral.

Josie was appalled by this pair of words people kept on using to describe the tragedy that occurred.

 

It was dreadful, appalling and utterly heart-breaking. Nothing about this was sweet. Nothing at all. And all these people that were claiming the opposite are soulless monsters that have no ounce of empathy in their empty shell of a body. None.

 

These people were claiming that life goes on… That this happens… That this is part of existence.

 

Repeating these words as if those chains of letters were mere lyrics… Components of some sickening song about moving on… Nauseating parts of a mantra to promote forgetting everyone who has left the earth's realm. Good or bad. It didn't matter to them.

 

What mattered was that the said person was gone erasing every trace they left on earth, every speck of love they shaped, every action they crafted, every person they impacted: gone like the wind, vanished like they were never there, evaporated into thin air.

 

And that's how they wanted things to be.

 

Why dwell on the departed? Why cry for the dead?

 

Life was a hazardous, sick game and only the lucky ones survived. Only the cowards that hid in the shadows and ran away from every fight succeeded in preserving their humanly frail bodies and chasing their mind-numbing vocations.

 

"… brave."
"… fought until the last breath."
"… hero."
"… their time came."
"… everyone is here."
"… life goes on, Jo."
"… time on earth was coming to an end."
"… did what they needed to do."
"… was great."
"… heart of gold."


No… No… It shouldn't be like this. Josie didn't want to hear these tasteless and gruesome words of "comfort"…

 

How fitting that only those who spoke these words thought they were comforting. How humorous that the ones hearing them did not think so.

 

These words were not reassuring. Nor were they uplifting or even numbing. These words were world-shattering, ground-breaking and just ill-mannered.

 

These words had no place in this funeral, nor did all these phoney and fake people.


Josie was struggling to breathe, fighting a storm of tears that was oblivious to her needs, mindful of her grief but heartless and callous, nonetheless.

 

An emotional blizzard insisted on drowning her face, sinking her heart and drenching her thoughts.

 

Josie was losing everyone she held dear. She was losing everyone she ever loved. One by one. Like nauseating tiles stacked one after the other, in a lethal dominoes set, dropping one by one, plunging the subsequent stones into identical falls.

 

Josie couldn't take it anymore. Her heart couldn't endure another loss. Why did it have to be the people she loved? Why did it have to be her support system that was crumbling? First Landon… And now this. Her thoughts were interrupted by wandering brown eyes trying to meet hers in a haze of sorrow.

 

Rafael couldn't see the woman he loved struggling like this. Even if she didn't want his help, he wanted to try and offer. Even if she would push him away, he was determined to be there for her.


Little did he know that this was not how you should love another. Loving another meant giving them space if they asked for it. It meant giving them time to heal especially when you were a perpetrator in their horror story.

 

Rafael wanted to hurt and comfort.

 

He wanted to push and pull.

 

He wanted to hunt and save.

 

He thought Josie was some damsel in distress that would fall for him eventually despite all the ugly things he did.

 

If it was blindness, obsession or just pure persistence. No one could say.

 

But Rafael had his mind made up, unwavering and relentless in its pursuit of Josie, even if it meant her demise.

 


"Jo. You need to eat something. You have been here all day."


"I can't."

 

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"Bullshit. You need to take care of yourself. What you're doing is crazy."

 

"I'm not some child that you can scold Rafael. Just leave me alone."


"I'm worried about you."


"Don't be."


"How can you say that? After everything we have been through."


"There is no WE. After everything you have done, the least you can do is fuck off. I mean it. I'm done being nice to you. You don't get to be the person who comforts me. You don't get to be anything to me anymore."


"This is not the place nor the time, Waithe. Leave her be. She's mourning." A comforting hand travels the distance and settles on Josie's shoulder whilst the other pushes Rafael away.


Penelope, understanding the gravity of the situation, interrupts the heated argument. "It's a funeral, for God's sake. I said leave her be. I will not repeat myself."

 

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Rafael wanted to fight back and exert his power over this pest, but he was soon blown away by two more figures standing next to Penelope. Jade and Maya approached the girls, arms crossed, forming a shield around Josie.

 

Silent death stares were being thrown like daggers enticing the boy to go. Unwilling but surrounded… Rafael finally got the message. He drew his hands into fists, trying to soothe his anger and started drifting furiously away from Josie and the others.

 

End of the Flash-forward Scene 

 

& 2 weeks earlier

 

PRESENT TIME

 

 

Salvatore School – Penelope’s room:

 

“We need to talk P."

 

“Come on, get in before someone sees you.”

 

“Fine. No need for violence.”

 

“Just get in, Saltzman.”

 

Josie was stunned to see Penelope’s room whirling with a load of hovering papers. The fan was throwing documents back and forth, and stacks of the latter were growing and shrinking by the second. Penelope was never an organized person, but this was a mess even for her.


“What the hell is this, you hoarder?”

 

“We don’t have time for this discussion Velma. Listen to this.” Penelope picked up a paper from the bed and carefully read what was on it: "The Salvatore Shepherd were one of the main perpetrators of the Great Scottish Witch Hunt of 1597.”

 

“What the fuck does that even mean?”

 

“There were a series of nationwide witch trials that took place in the whole of Scotland from March to October 1597. At least 400 people were put on trial for witchcraft and various forms of diabolism during the witch hunt.”

 

“I know what the Great Scottish Witch Hunt is, Pen. So what? What does this have to do with our school?”

 

Penelope picked up another paper “The witch hunt of 1597 was carried out by blood-drinking creatures hiding in plain sight and blending in with humans under the pretence of protecting everyone. Trials were used as a pretext to flag all witches, and suspects were often victims of mysterious deaths.” 

 

Josie’s thoughts were getting jumbled, and her head started aching from the abundance of information. She decided to chip in and picked up a piece of paper from the table next to her. 

 

“Creatures of the moon were thought to be allies of witches and were hunted by association.” 

 

“And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, Jo. I found a lot more info about this cult or whatever they are… They date back to the 40s and have been part of this establishment ever since then. They financed the school and formed some sort of secret society”.

 

“This sounds like it’s made-up Pen”.


“I know. Okay? I know how it sounds. But I found actual records written by actual people.”

 

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“Where did you find those?”


“My aunt works as a historian and curator for the National Galleries of Scotland, so I gave her a call, and she sent me a few scanned versions of records and diaries written by random people who called themselves witches. Don’t look at me like that. I told her they were for a research project.”

 

“A few? This looks like a bit more than a few.”


“Yeah. Well, I searched online but didn’t find anything other than generic facts about the witch hunt.” 


“So, you believe them?”


“I don’t know if there were moon creatures or witches, but these are some sort of collective memories, and a hunt definitely occurred with the Shepherds in power holding torches and pitchforks. Some records were even written by a Bennett witch.”


“Bennett? Like ancestors of Bonnie Bennet?” 


“I think so.”


“My head hurts. I feel like I’m in some kind of movie.”  


“Yeah, it took me some time to digest all of this too. But I have an idea as to how we can find out who’s behind this culty society or who the members might be.” 


“Pray tell.”


“We need to break into your mom’s office. She’s bound to have records of people financing the school, which might lead us back to the Salvatore Shepherd.”


“This is crazy.”


“I know.”


 “We're going to get in so much trouble if we get caught."

 

"Only, if we get caught."

 

"Okay."

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Well yeah. I would like to understand who this prankster is and maybe get my phone back… But we need backup.”

 

“I’m not a fan of this word or teamwork for that matter.” 


“I know. We dated. Remember? We have to figure this out Pen, and we need my phone to see where Hope is" stated Josie, her eyelashes batting in a gesture of imploration.

 

“Fine.”


“Come on. Don’t pout P, we might need someone to be on the lookout or create a diversion.”


“I wish Hope was here.”


“That was oddly sweet of you. Unfortunately, she’s not. So maybe we can ask Lizzie.”


“Forget it. Your sister is louder than a bullhorn. I know just the person for the job.”


“Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like your suggestion?”


“We need someone that’s good at distractions. You said it. So, I vote for Maya.”


“I knew you would say that.”


“Well, you know I’m right.”


“Okay. Let’s go get her.”


“Right now?”


“You heard Miss Tig. Caroline isn’t here today so it’s the perfect opportunity to snoop.”


“Bold of you to call your mom by her first name. I'm liking this new Josie.”


“Thanks. I’m liking her too.”

 

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“What will you tell Maya?”


“Only what’s necessary. Let’s proceed on a need-to-know basis.”


“Fine by me”.

 

 

Salvatore School – Maya’s room:

 

Who the fuck is knocking at this late hour?

 

Maya's mouth was sewn shut by the 2 bemused expressions hanging in front of her door. She hesitated a few times before voicing her veto against this nocturnal visit. 

 

“No way! You gotta be shitting me!”

 

And thus began the battle of the hot-headed Salvatore Students.

 

Maya hastily attempted to close the door but was bested by Penelope’s foot jamming the door open.

 

“We don’t have time for this nonsense. I told you we should have gone with Lizzie instead” stated Josie unamused by Maya’s antics.

 

“Your sister is probably killing Alyssa as we speak very vividly in her dreams” retorted Penelope.

 

“Ehem. Can you both step away from my door so I can close it and try to move on from whatever this is.”

 

“Look” started Penelope before pushing the door open and stepping in uninvited “we need your help. It’s an emergency.”

 

“It’s 1 am in the morning. Are you guys nuts?”

 

“Like she said it’s an emergency” repeated Josie.

 

“Call 911 then. Anything else?”

 

“Fuck off Machado. We’re trying to help Hope" explained Penelope, knowing how to hit the right spot in Machado's temperamental heart. 

 

Maya opened and closed her mouth multiple times, hesitating on how to respond to this confession. She gestured for both girls to sit down, deciding to hear them out for now. 

 

“Fine. I’m listening. What do you guys need?”

 

Josie felt a pang of jealousy hit her chest with silent and sneaky blows of ache. She knew she would have to keep this feeling in check because whether she wanted to admit it or not, Maya was loyal to a fault, and that meant she would be instrumental in helping them save Hope and figure out what was going on.

 

The brunette also remembered what Maya did to the lie detector. Tripping on the wires was an excellent and well-calculated move. 

 

Hope was worth it. Josie was sure of that. And dealing with Maya was a low price to pay if it meant they could fix things. 

 

Josie and Penelope took turns explaining what was happening to Maya. They left out the part about Josie and Hope’s date and skipped the details about the blood-drinkers… And witches.

 

They gave Maya an abridged version of the story, explaining that the prankster might be part of a secret society financing the school and that this person was trying to stir trouble. They also mentioned Josie’s phone, which is essential to contact Hope. 

 

"How do you have Hope's number? I have been begging her to give it to me. She keeps saying she hates texting."

 

"I took it from my mom" answered Josie, being quick on her feet. 

 

"Hmmm, this is quite suspicious."

 

Is she still talking about the number? Wondered Joise...

 

"What do you mean?" asked Josie, beeds of sweat starting to show on the edge of her scalp. 

 

"I mean that this prankster shows up right after the fire, the kidnapping or murder or whatever happened to bird boy… How convenient…"

 

Thank god... 

 

"You think they had something to do with the incidents happening at school?" asked Josie, her voice laced in concern. 

 

"I think both occurrences are conveniently situated in the same timeline. And I don't believe in coincidences".

 

"I agree with Maya. This does sound fishy," stated Penelope.

 

"Even more of a reason to find out what's going on. So, are you in?" asked Josie in haste.

 

"I'm in on one condition."

 

"Which is?"

 

"We need Jade."

 

"Nope. Out of the question. Involving other people is too dangerous," explained Josie, trying to reason with Maya in vain.

 

"Jade is the only one that can pick a lock. Besides, she's one of the very few people I can stand."

 

“Since when?” asked Josie, shocked by this revelation. 

 

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“She’s also good with computers,” added Maya skimming over Josie’s question as if it was never spoken. 

 

“Fine,” concluded Josie, "but no more demands, let’s go get her.”

 

Penelope rushed to leave but tripped on her way out by non-other than Maya’s foot. “That’s for jamming my door dimwit and for dropping in unannounced. Next time text before coming.” 

 

“I don’t even have your number, you, Idiot.”

 

“Both of you, silence!” Josie was quickly regretting this decision. Maya and Penelope’s incessant arguing was starting to give her intense headaches. 

 

She should have flown solo like she always used to do. Even a group of kindergartners would have been easier to deal with at this point. 

 

 

Salvatore School – Miss Forbes' Office:

 

"Can you be any slower?" whispered Maya, her impatience getting the best of her.

 

"Possibly. If I need to answer your dumb questions..." retorted Jade whilst trying to lubricate the lock before inserting the bobby pin. The pin had been bent back making it look like a long piece of metal wire. Jade Inserted the lever into the bottom half of the lock, keeping it as low as possible while still getting the lever as deep into the barrel as possible.

"The key is to get a feel for the pins by moving them up and down with your pick".

 

"How interesting! Seriously, make it quick before someone sees us. I would like to avoid detention if that's okay with you", intervened Penelope, agreeing for the first time in her life with Maya.

 

This day was getting weirder by the second. 

 

"You can't rush Art." 

 

Josie rolled her eyes at Jade's serenity in this time of crisis. No one knew whether it was a strength or a weakness, but Jade always had a knack for keeping her cool.

 

Teachers and students alike always suspected that she was high during classes… But in reality, Jade's weed was all Naturel, composed of timeless and everlasting endorphins. 

 

Even in the apocalypse, Jade would probably keep her calm in the midst of shooting zombies, and Josie had to admit, this could come in handy.

 

"Voilà."

 

"And 10 years later, the door opens" joked Maya, rolling her eyes at Jade to the point where Penelope thought they would stay upwards. 

 

"You're welcome, Machado."

 

"I just did my nails so I'll be on watch duty", stated Maya before ushering them in.

 

Screenshot-2022-07-08-at-18-52-03

 

"Jo, I'll check your mom's computer" 

 

Penelope nodded in agreement. "And we'll check the file cabinet".

 

"Any idea what your mom's password might be?"

 

"Try Stefan's birthday or my birthday."

 

"Jo, no offence, but how would I know when your birthday is."

 

"March 24," stated Penelope. "What? They throw a ball every year. Do you live under a rock?"

 

"Didn't work. Weird, I could have sworn your mom would be the type to use birthdays as passwords."

 

"My mom is surprising everyone lately."

 

"Some people use random numbers or words written in the vicinity of their devices. Apparently, it helps with memory issues."

 

"You think the password is hidden under our noses?" asked Jade before slowly taking in her surroundings. She started opening nearby drawers, books and CD boxes. 

 

Who even uses CDs anymore?

 

Josie and Penelope were also not having any luck. They stumbled on medical records, students' and teachers' files as well as procurement documents, but nothing related to sponsors or financing.

 

The silence was deafening until Penelope poked Josie enthusiastically. 

 

"Jo. I think I found something."  

 

Josie took a look at the fourth drawer in the cabinet. It was labelled SS. "SS like…"

 

"Salvatore Shepherd", continued Penelope. 

 

"Yeah, or Salvator Sponsors..." intervened Josie.

 

The files were labelled by name and year and dated back to the 50s. There were multiple familiar names "Branson, de Martel, Petrova... and many others." Josie stared at the last addition, and a Name caught her eye. 

 

The most recent file was labelled Mikealson. Josie's gut started churning. Why is Hope's name everywhere, and why does it seem like she's involved in everything? 

 

Penelope slowly took the file from Josie's hand. 

 

"These are bank transfer statements."

 

Penelope started photographing the file's content

 

"I've seen this before."

 

"What?" asked Penelope.

 

"I have seen this before" repeated Jade. 

 

"You mean the stone? So what?"

 

"No. The sentence engraved on it." 

 

"What does it say?" inquired Penelope.

 

"It's Latin" explained Josie. "Three is the magic number. Where have you seen this before?" asked Josie. 

 

"It doesn't matter, but I have a weird feeling about it."

 

"You think it's the password?" asked Penelope, shocked by this revelation. 

 

"Yup. I'm in" cheered Jade.

 

"Great, can you search her files or maybe her inbox for anything labelled Salvatore Shepherd?"

 

"There's only one email that was sent last week. It's labelled - LAST WARNING". 

 

"Can you print it or something?"

 

Jade was emailing a copy to herself when a loud hush broke through the door. 

 

“Aboooort, Abooort. Stefan is coming.”

 

"No, I need to find my phone" insisted Josie.

 

"Not now" whispered Penelope before shoving Josie into the nearest closet. Maya closed the door and joined Jade under Caroline's desk. 

 

"Move big foot" was the last sentence uttered by Maya Machado before Stefan entered the office. 

 

Josie's heart was beating so fast and so loud that she couldn't hear her own breathing. She was practically hyperventilating and Penelope, quickly catching on, placed her hand in front of Josie's mouth, attempting to smother any unintentional panic-stricken sounds. 

 

Stefan was talking to someone. Something which aided the girls in this sticky situation, and Josie managed to hear part of the conversation.

 

Her hearing was rendered sharper due to the smothering of her other senses. 

 

"...Okay, I will come tomorrow morning… Are you sure? Do they have a bed? Fine.... No Care... Okay, But I don't like this one bit…."

 

Stefan was talking to her mother. 

 

"Yes... They're both fine... Yeah, Her phone is here. Okay. I'll take it with me…. Love you too..."

 

Shit Shit Shit... No, Not her fucking phone.

 

Stefan pushed Caroline's chair towards the desk, practically crushing Maya. 

 

Almost. Because Maya actually evaded this attack jumping on her left and crushing Jade instead.

 

Jade succeeded in swallowing the blow, much to Maya's relief. 

 

Stefan eventually got to the door, planning on leaving... when the unimaginable happened. 

 

… if only Josie's luck was as acrobatic as Maya's body…

 

Unfortunately for the girls, this was not the case, as Josie lost her balance and fell face forward on the floor, opening the closet amid her plunge. 

 

"Good evening, Stefan... How nice to see you." 

 

Stefan-Salvatore

 

End of Chapter

Chapter 31: In the closet?

Chapter Text

“I would really appreciate an explanation right about now, Jo.”

 

“Uhm…”

 

“I don’t think this qualifies as an answer. What were you doing in your mom’s office after hours?”

 

“Nothing much."

 

"Still waiting for an actual answer."

 

"I was just searching for mom.”

 

“In the closet?”

 

“Not exactly the brightest idea, I know.”

 

“Bright idea? You were in the closet with Penelope after midnight in your mom’s office.”

 

“Ironic, right? Since I just got out of the closet.”

 

 Josie attempted a fake laugh to lighten the mood. Needless to say: the gloomy mood was unwavering in its stance.

 

Stefan stayed silent and looked into Josie’s eyes, uttering strong feelings of disappointment and frustration.

 

Josie couldn’t take it. This look was one she knew very well. A look her father used to give her when she needed his presence and when she asked for his attention. 

 

It was the look her mom gave her yesterday.

 

The look Lizzie gave her when she found out about Rafael.

 

It seems this look was becoming a persisting and relentless reminder of her screw-ups.

 

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“Not only were you there after hours, but you also brought a few of your friends along for the ride.”

 

“I needed backup...”

 

“Backup? This isn’t SPY KIDS, Jo.”

 

  Stefan-Salvatore

 

“The way mom has been acting… Villain suits her fine. Of course, I had to break in. She would have never told me anything otherwise.”

 

“We used to talk. You used to confide in me. I'm still here, Jo. You just need to talk to me.”

 

“Okay fine. You want the truth?”

 

“Of course, I want the truth.”

 

“I just wanted to check up on Hope.”

 

"Hope?"

 

"Yes. I know."

 

“Oh. Shit!”

 

“Yeah, Shit.”

 

“Language!”

 

“You said it first.”

 

“I didn’t think you knew about Hope.”

 

Josie stayed silent… She didn’t want this golden opportunity to pass her by. They didn’t call her observant and vigilant for nothing.

 

This was a chess game all over again, and the best move was passive defence. Moving backwards was the only way to move forward, and Stefan took the bait. 

 

“You heard already?”

 

Josie nodded.

 

She saw the light at the end of the tunnel and knew Stefan was going to tell her where Hope was… FINALLY. 

 

“I thought your mom didn’t tell anyone yet."

 

"mmm..."

 

"But I knew she would eventually do the right thing.”

 

“Yes, I was surprised too,” lied Josie to force on this charade.

 

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“Well, I’m glad you know now. And I understand why you’re frustrated.”

 

Josie nodded yet again. Stefan was gradually digging into the truth on his own. Whilst she remained silent.

 

“I get it. Hospitals are scary, but she’s okay. Broken bones heal.”

 

“Hospitals? What do you mean by broken bones?”

 

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Stefan’s eyes abruptly shot open, the farce quickly unravelling in his head.

 

“Wait, rewind. You didn’t know? Then, why did you want to check up on her?”

 

“Who cares now? Tell me what happened?”

 

“Nothing happened.”

 

“Now, Stefan,” screamed Josie at the top of her lungs.

 

Stefan took a few steps back, surprised by her sudden reaction.

 

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“Look, I think your mom needs to do that.”

 

Josie took a deep breath and calmed herself down. She then looked deep into Stefan’s eyes, poring all her emotions into one glance.

 

“If you ever thought of yourself as my stepdad, then you will tell me.”

 

“This is not how it works, Jo. Your mom asked me to keep it a secret, and I made a mistake.”

 

“You know better than anyone else that my mom isn’t always right. I deserve to know. It’s Hope. She’s my … She’s my friend, okay? Please tell me…”

 

Stefan went silent yet again. He knew what Hope was to her. He knew that if he were in her shoes, he would have also gone crazy.

 

He would have done the same thing. He would have begged to find out where Caroline was.

 

Stefan took a deep breath and sat down, ushering for Josie to do the same.

 

“I will tell you. But first, you have to promise that this stays between us.”

 

“My lips are sealed.”

 

Using the tips of her thumb and index finger, Josie touched one side of her mouth before sliding her fingers to the other side, emphasizing her resolve to stay silent.

 

“I am not done yet, Jo. When and If I tell you, you have to promise to stay put and wait for everything to work itself out.”

 

“I can’t promise you that.”

 

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“You can, and you will, or I won’t tell you anything. Breaking a promise I made to your mom brings me no joy whatsoever.”

 

“You already broke it.”

 

Stefan rolled his eyes before taking a deep breath.

 

“Do we have a deal, Jo?”

 

“Fine. I will stay put if that makes you happy.”

 

Stefan nodded. He told Josie everything. He told her how Hope had an accident. How her breaks were faulty. How she broke her hand. How they were checking for concussions. How she was sleeping in a hospital bed.

 

He told her that her mom ran there and has been there ever since. He told her that Hope was not awake yet. He told her that they were examining her and that he was going to visit both her and Caroline in the morning. Or, more accurately, in a few hours.

 

Josie stayed silent throughout this monologue. Millions of questions were swarming in her head, flooding her thoughts and clutching at her emotions, but Josie preferred utter silence. S

 

he didn’t know what to say or what to do. She was with Hope a few hours ago. How is this possible? Her breaks were fine.

 

How is it possible that this happened, and how is it possible that her mom hid this from her? Not only did she hide this. She also lied. Josie knew Hope wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.

 

But right about now, she wished she did. Leaving meant being okay.

 

She would have preferred being left to this.

 

Hope was in the hospital, bruised and hurt. And Josie was here wasting time, unable to do anything else.

 

“I want to see her.”

 

“Out of the question.”

 

“Please.”

 

“We had a deal, and I stuck to my part.”

 

“This is not a game Stefan. Do you think I care about our deal? She’s in the hospital, for god’s sake.”

 

“The Josie I knew cared about integrity.”

 

“Well, that Josie is gone. Hope is hurt. Tell me how integrity is supposed to be more important?”

 

“The end doesn’t justify the means, Jo. I get where you are coming from but give your mom the benefit of the doubt.”

 

“Why? She didn’t give me that benefit.”

 

“She’s just trying to protect you.”

 

“This is bullshit, and you know it. Circumstances do matter. Tell me you wouldn’t bury your integrity underground if it meant being there for mom?”

 

Stefan refrained from answering.

 

“I’ll take it as a yes.”

 

“Right or not, you still need your mom’s permission. Tell you what. Let me talk to her and try to convince her. Just give me some time to figure this out. In the meantime, please go to your room and sleep. We will keep this incident between us for now.”

 

Screenshot-2022-08-31-at-15-57-31

 

Josie’s eyes lit up. She nodded before leaving the office and heading to her room.

 

Lizzie was asleep but tossing and turning restlessly. Josie slid under the sheets and pulled her sister close. She needed Lizzie.

 

She needed her sister right now. Even if that meant hugging her slumbering body would be the only handout.

 

Screenshot-2022-08-31-at-16-00-31

 

Penelope’s room:

 

“First, the bird is caged

Then the wolf is tamed

Trying to stop the shepherd

Will only be in vain”

 

“Is that guy on crack or something? Why does he only speak in rhymes and codes?” asked Maya in disdain.

 

“Not even good rhymes”, continued Penelope.

 

“I suppose it gives him an edge”, insisted Jade, “At least he used a computer this time instead of a papyrus.”

 

Jade-Legacies

 

“Are you sure this is what the email said?” asked Penelope, for the millionth time already.

 

“Yes, I’m sure. Do you need me to take an oath or something? This is what I remember anyway. The other part had weird symbols… I only remember one.”

 

“Which one?”

 

“It’s not like we learned those symbols in algebra, Maya. It was some weird triangular shape with three interlaced portions like a set of petals interweaving with a circle.”

 

“If you see it, can you identify it?” asked Penelope.

 

“Yeah, sure. Here, give me a pen and paper. I will draw it.”

 

Screenshot-2022-08-31-at-16-03-55

 

“Okay, enough with the arts and crafts. Let’s look at the messages in the email.” Jade was interrupted by Maya, who took the paper and flipped it to the other side. “Write down the messages you just repeated.”

 

 Jade swallowed, nodded, and wrote down what she remembered.

 

“First, the bird is caged

Then the wolf is tamed

Trying to stop the shepherd

Will only be in vain”

 

“I assume the first metaphor refers to Landon?”

 

“In what capacity is Landon a bird? He’s more of a mouse, I think,” rationalised Maya, smirking at her own words.

 

“I agree with you, Pen. I think - caging - refers to the kidnapping. I don’t know who the wolf is supposed to be, though.”

 

“The only one of us that’s missing,” explains Penelope.

 

“You mean Hope?”

 

“I suppose so.”

 

“So, we’re assuming Landon is still alive?” interjected Jade.

 

“For now. Police didn’t find proof of death, anyhow.”

 

“This is crazy.”

 

“I mean, yeah. These guys are nuts. But to understand the messages, we need to visualize the world like they do.”

 

“Fine”, interrupts Maya, “so assuming Landon is the bird and that he is still alive. How will Hope be tamed exactly?”

 

“Do you think they also kidnapped her?” asked Jade.

 

“I suppose it’s possible”, answers Penelope.

 

“But Miss Forbes said….”

 

“Do you believe everything you hear, Jade? Adults lie to cover their asses. That’s just how things are.”  

 

Penelope nodded. Maya was right. Adults always lied, and Miss Forbes was doing that a lot lately.

 

“What I don’t get”, continued Penelope “, is what the threat is about. Like what is Miss Forbes doing to stop them? And how does she know who they are?”

 

“And how do they know about her efforts to stop them?”

 

“This is all too much. How about we take a pause for now, and we regroup tomorrow with Josie?”

 

“Okay. We really need to get going anyway… it’s going to be morning soon,” noted Jade. “I hope Josie didn’t get in too much trouble.”

 

“How much trouble can she get into? She’s the headmistress’s daughter”, jokes Maya.

 

“Shut it, Maya. Would you like to trade places with her?”

 

Penelope smiled, knowing that her point was made.

 

Legacies-S1-Penelope-Park

 

“Whatever, Park. Jade, are you coming?”

 

“Yes. Just taking the drawing with me. I want to see if I can find it online.”

 

“Good idea”, added Penelope before patting Jade on the shoulder.

 

Penelope had to admit that although they all had pretty distinctive personalities (let’s put it like that), together, they were a great team.

 

She was starting to have faith in their abilities and was almost certain they would crack the case and save the school: hopefully before they kill each other.

 

Josie/Lizzie’s room:

 

“I need your help”

 

“Good morning to you too, dear sister”, answered Elizabeth before opening her mouth wide open “WTF? It’s 5 am. Good night.”

 

“Good morning, Lizzie."

 

"Why are you doing this to me?"

 

"I need your help.”

 

“Yeah, I heard you the first time.”

 

“So?” Josie mustered the cutest “puppy dog eyes” she could muster… Her eyes were fully open, inviting and imploring. Biting her lower lip, she was hoping her sister wouldn’t be able to say no. And she was right.

 

“Walk me through your plan.”

 

“You don’t even want to know what this is about?”

 

“You can explain later. Tell me what you need; I want to go back to sleep.”

 

“Might need you to get out of bed, though.”

 

48cb434c7e1ed769142012500467c340

 

 

Unknown for now:

 

“I did what you asked; now let me go”, begged Landon, knees on the floor and head weighed down by recent events.

 

“Not exactly. I asked you to tamper with her breaks, not take her to the hospital.”

 

“No one saw me there except one doctor and a few nurses. I had the cap on and the glasses like you told me.”

 

“I didn’t ask you to save her. Besides, you think anyone would forget your stupid curly hair. You Pitiful excuse for a man!”

 

“She was hurt. I couldn’t just leave her there.”

 

“Too bad. You just burned your only ticket out of here.”

 

Landon’s eyes shut open. He looked his aggressor straight in the eyes, symbolically challenging him, and clenched his fists.  

 

“It was never a bargaining chip, to begin with. You were only using me to do your dirty work.”

 

“Oh, ballsy! It seems like you are learning to speak up. Bravo! Now let me teach you a thing or two about speaking up. Lesson number one” Landon was pushed head down to the floor brutally, his jaw practically cracking against the pavement. “Lesson number two” He didn’t get a chance to scream or breathe before he felt a strong kick to his stomach. “Lesson number three” The kick became two, and soon Landon lost count and lost consciousness.

 

Screenshot-2022-08-31-at-16-21-46

 

 

New Orleans:

 

Rebekah-profil2

 

“I told you we shouldn’t have trusted her with our niece”, repeated Rebecca, her voice laced with anger and condescension. “Klaus trusted us, and we sent his daughter away.”

 

“If you hadn’t sent her that motorcycle as a parting gift… This wouldn’t be a problem,” interjected Freya, raising her eyebrows in disbelief at her sister’s reaction.

 

“She never had a problem with it here”, responded Rebecca, shrugging her shoulders.

 

“Quit it, both of you. I need to focus.”

 

“What are you doing, babe?”

 

“Booking tickets for Scotland.”

 

“Oh. Not a bad idea.”

 

“Yes. Let’s go bring our baby home.”

 

“Relax, Becca. She just broke her hand. We’re just going to visit her,” insisted Freya.

 

“We can decide what to do when we see her”, intervened Keelin, attempting to bring an end to this futile debate, “for now, pack your bags”.

 

“Business Class, please.”

 

“Sure, thing Becks. You seem to have your priorities set straight,” answered Freya, slapping her forehead to emphasize how ill-timed the request is.

 

Screenshot-2022-08-31-at-17-24-36

 

 

Hospital – Hope’s room:

 

Screenshot-2022-08-31-at-17-00-30

 

"Where am I?"

 

"At the hospital."

 

"Did you put it out?"

 

"Put what out?"

 

"I need to go."

 

“Miss, calm down. You had an accident."

 

“Where are my mom and dad?”

 

“Don’t remove the syringe. Calm down, please.”

 

“Fuck off.”

 

“Restrain her.”

 

“Mom, dad. Where are they??? Did you save my parents? Did you put out the fire?”

 

“What fire?”

 

“The fire at our house."

 

"There were no fires, miss. You're mistaken."

 

"Don't act dumb. Where am I?”

 

“Miss. You were in an accident. You’re okay now. You’re at the hospital. You're safe.”

 

“No, let me go. I want to see my parents. Where are my parents?”

 

“Miss, stop moving.”

 

“What’s happening?”

 

“Dr Tyler, the patient is freaking out. She seems to be having some sort of flashbacks.”

 

“Miss, calm down. I am Dr Lockwood. Let me explain what happened.”

 

“Back off. I am leaving.”

 

“We need to sedate her.”

 

“Get your hands off her. Hope, honey, I am here. Relax, you’re okay," interjects Caroline, trying to intervene to deflate the situation. 

 

Hope kept tossing and turning, trying to break free of their hold and get out of bed. Caroline tried to take her hand, only to be pushed away by a strong blow.

 

Adrenaline cursing through her veins, Hope managed to push off the nurses and Caroline and started heading towards the door when an abrupt prickle tinted her skin, and a sudden acute slumber took over her body.

 

“I used 10mg of olanzapine, Dr.”

 

“Good call. Immediate sedation was imperative to stop the agitation. Take her back to bed, please.”

 

“Was this really necessary?” squealed Caroline, shocked by the unexpected events.

 

“She left us no choice. Don’t worry. These things happen. Sometimes, patients find themselves in the hospital without understanding what brought them here. It’s scary for anyone. She just needs some time to grasp the reality of things.”

 

“Can I stay with her?” implored Caroline, feeling the guilt eating her up.

 

“Sure, you can. I have to go, but I will pass by again later. Press the green button on the right of the bed if you need anything else, and one of the nurses will show up.”

 

Everyone left the room except Caroline. She silently sat down on the bed next to Hope and started playing with her hair.

 

Memories of Hope’s parents started flooding her mind, entangled with her memories of her kids growing up. Hope was still a kid. A teenager that was lost and confused. A teenager that lost her parents and everything that was ever dear to her.

 

Taking care of her was her responsibility, and she had failed her. She had failed Hope’s family, and she had failed her school. She had failed Josie. She knew she was being harsh on her.

 

She knew that now was not the time to doubt her daughter, and yet she kept doing it.

 

Things needed to change. She needed to take charge and save everyone before the situation takes a turn for the worse. Tears started drifting from her eyes one by one, drowning her face in sorrows.

 

“What have they done to you, my dear girl? You don’t deserve this. I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault.”

 

School Parking lot:

 

“We need to talk, Stefan.”

 

“Can I take a rain check Elizabeth? I need to go. Your mom is waiting for me.”

 

“It’s about mom.”

 

“Fine, let me lock the car.”

 

“NOOOO!”

 

Stefan. Was taken aback by the outburst.

 

“Are you okay, Lizzie?”

 

“Yeah, yeah. It’s just…This won’t take long. Leave the car. It will only be a minute.”

 

lizzie-saltzman-jenny-boyd

 

Lizzie took Stefan by the hand and practically dragged him away from the car.

 

“Okay. Go ahead. Tell me what’s wrong.”

 

“You see, recently, I’ve been having some concerns.”

 

“About?”

 

Lizzie was scratching her head, trying to come out with a topic of discussion, when she heard her pager beep.

 

[ CARGO LOADED]

 

pager

 

“Your pager is beeping. I didn’t know you were still using it.”

 

“It’s for a science project”, retorted Lizzie. “I have to go”.

 

“What about our talk?”

 

“Never mind. You know me. I was overreacting. Gotta go. Bye, stepdaddy.”

 

“These kids are gonna give me a heart attack”, muttered Stefan before getting behind the wheel.

 

Little did he know, he was transporting forbidden cargo in his trunk: a stubborn young girl by the name of Josette Saltzman.

 

ELohb1i-W4-AIW-vx

 

 

Chapter 32: Dirty Scrubs

Chapter Text

Edinburgh - Western General Hospital (Outside):

 

 

phone-call-for-stefan

 

 

 

“Hey, Hun. How are you doing today?” asked Stefan, trying to use an optimistic tone to slightly lighten Caroline's burden. 

 

"Not good… Not good at all, Stefan. I'm just so tired..."

 

"What's wrong?"

 

"Hope is still sleeping, and I'm just devastated. What if she never recovers from this?"

 

"Shhhh… Just chase away these vicious thoughts. Hope is okay, and she's in a hospital full of capable doctors. I'm sure she will wake up and go back to getting on your nerves in no time."

 

"I really hope so. I need her to wake up. I need to tell her that everything will be okay."

 

"And you will."

 

Caroline stayed silent, reflecting on Stefan's words, trying to regain her strength and dedication ... To no avail. She was feeling guilty and she knew that somewhere along the way she had messed up. 

 

"Are you here already? Do you want me to meet you outside?"

 

"No, stay put. I'm coming in. We can have breakfast together. You're probably starving."

 

"Mmmmm… What about the kids?" asked Caroline, worry and anger interweaving and infecting her thoughts and words.

 

"Yeah? What about them?" 

 

"Do they know anything?"

 

"I mean, hypothetically speaking, would it really be that bad?"

 

"Stefan…" answered Caroline in utter disappointment. 

 

"What?"

 

"Just spill."

 

"I told Josie."

 

"Great. That's just what I needed." 

 

"It told her without intending to do it. But she handled things well." 

 

"Stefan…"

 

"I promise, Care. We had a long talk, and it was really nice, just like old times. I think I got through to her."

 

"Yeah, right…"

 

"I'm serious. I was sweet but also firm. I'm telling you, I really got through to her. She promised she would wait at school, and I believe her," said Stefan, his heart filled with pride. He was finally getting the hang of this, he thought and for once, he was the one saving the day. 

 

"Okay, that sounds good. Thank you," responded Caroline in a slightly unconvinced tone. 

 

"No need to thank me. I'm her stepdad. It's my job. Now come on, stop badgering that pretty little head of yours, and let's go eat something."

 

"A bagel does sound nice right about now… See you in 5."

 

Western General Hospital (Inside):

 

Josie barely managed to get out of the trunk without attracting attention. In fact, she had to extensively explain to at least 5 people that this was just a joke and she wasn't some kidnapped girl with Stockholm syndrome.

 

"No, No, I’m not in love with my captor." - "I don't even have a captor." - "No, I haven't been kidnapped." - "He didn't know that I was in the trunk. No, scratch that. I was kidding. I didn't get into a man's truck without telling him." - "No, I didn't stalk anyone." - "Oh, never mind."

 

Josie heard someone call the cops, alerting them that a stalker was roaming around in the hospital (a.k.a. her), but it was too late for her to intervene. Oh well, that's a problem for another day, she thought.

 

For now, she was determined to find Hope's room. Josie knew that this hospital had at least 570 beds.

 

How she knew that was pretty simple.

 

Josie knew things; she knew many things and often, she even knew things that no one even bothered to know about.

 

She just loved knowing and learning.

 

Or maybe it ran a little deeper than that.

 

It was more like she needed to know things. Like it was who she always was, who she always wanted to be.

 

Her knowledge was a shield she had built, an emotional wall she had molded and nurtured all her life. For as long as she could remember, it has always been there, protecting her from people's ignorance and their malice. And now she just couldn't live without it anymore. It was her weapon and she took it with her everywhere she went.

 

Josie was looking around the waiting room and a pool of different shapes and colors surged at her.

 

 

She could see devastated people who were worried and scared.

 

She could see happy people celebrating a new birth.

 

She saw bored kids, uninterested neighbors who were probably guilt-tripped into coming, and even impatient police officers investigating a gunshot.

 

At least they weren't here to catch her, she thought.

 

She was utterly lost in her thoughts when she suddenly regained her sight and saw an open door calling out to her. 

 

"Hey, slow down there, Missy. Where are you going?" called out the receptionist.

 

"Uhm. I'm sorry," uttered Josie unenthusiastically.

 

"And you are?"

 

"I'm hmm My name is Alyssa. Alyssa Chang. I'm here to see a patient."

 

Josie thought it was better to lie about her name in case this plan went south, and she had a feeling it would happen eventually.

 

"And do you know their room number, or were you just planning on paying a visit to every patient here?"

 

"I'm looking for Hope. Hope Mikealson," responded Josie with a smile on her face. Even Hope's name made her smile like an idiot.

 

"Okay. Wait here. Let me check on the system."

 

"Thank you."

 

"It's room 305, but the patient is still asleep. She had a little incident and we had to sedate her, so I have to check with her doctor if you're allowed to visit her."

 

"Sedate her? What incident?"

 

"Calm down, Miss. Nothing serious."

 

"Look, I understand that it's your job, but I need to see her," insisted Josie.

 

"I understand…"

 

"No, you don't. We have been playing this cat-and-mouse game since she came here. When I saw her, she took my breath away and I never thought in my life that she would like me back. And now I know she does. And I kissed her. And she kissed me back. She kissed me back… And she told me she had feelings for me. It's everything I ever wanted to hear and everything I ever wanted to feel. So you can't stop me from seeing her. I need to see her."

 

Josie was out of breath. Talking about everything made things worse. It made her even more anxious and more determined. She tried but she couldn't calm herself down.

 

Josie was a now woman on a mission. And even if that mission was getting derailed, she knew that she wasn't backing down this time. 

 

"I can see she means a lot to you, but rules are rules and I don't make them."

 

"This is bull…."

 

"Don't finish that sentence, young lady. And you don't need to bite my head off. Her doctor will be here within the hour. You can ask for his permission to go in when he shows up. In the meantime, you can sit down and wait there."

 

Josie's face turned crimson; she was utterly mortified by her behavior. She had just shared her life story with a complete stranger and had been an impolite and insistent brat.

 

But she needed to see Hope now.

 

Nothing mattered more, and deep down, she knew that very well.

 

Hope made her lose all her senses, all her poise, good manners, and elegance… It was like she was a new being that was running solely on passion and obsession.

 

And weirdly enough, she liked that. She liked seeing a new side of herself, a rebellious side that was defying everything and everyone, even if others in her life weren't liking it. 

 

Josie wasn't going to sit and wait. She needed to concoct a new plan right this instant.

 

And fortunately for Josie, her creative wild mind never lacked ideas. 

 

"I'm sorry. I promise that I'm usually polite. I'll wait. In the meantime, though, can you let me know where the bathroom is?"

 

"Sure, honey. Go through that blue door, end of the corridor, on the right next to the laundry room."

 

LAUNDRY ROOM… Perfect.

 

Ideas were popping and flowing in Josie's head and her wild, beautiful mind was currently cooking up the craziest of plans.

 

"Thanks, nurse Jackie. I'll be right back."

 

Western General Hospital – Laundry Room:

 

 

Screenshot-2022-10-30-at-17-17-56

 

 

Josie's daily adventures were only just starting. Riding in the trunk of a car wasn't enough excitement for one day.

 

She had to add stealing hospital properties to her resume.

 

Hope is going to owe her big time after this. 

 

Josie had waited outside the bathrooms for 7 minutes before the door of the laundry room was pushed open from the inside.

 

Two guys came out of the room, pushing a laundry cart. Josie's eyes flashed brightly. A golden opportunity presented itself and Josie was adamant, unyielding in her resolution, and unwilling to give up. This was her chance to go in. She could borrow new clean scrubs and give them back after her visit. No one would question a doctor here. 

 

Eao-CU0-VAAE4e4-E

 

 

Her plan was going according to the foreseen scenario and she could practically taste success at this point.  

 

But then suddenly and out of nowhere, one of the guys stopped abruptly midway. He turned around and went back towards the lock.

 

"Shit. I almost forgot to lock up," she heard him whisper.

 

Josie bit down on her lip. She bit down hard and a metallic taste started crawling around her mouth and tongue.  

 

She swallowed firmly before she reminded herself that she had another plan: a sort of plan B, but she didn't know how high her chances were with the backup strategy. 

 

With plan A, she anticipated that whoever went out might lock the door behind them, so she decided to make their job a little tricky. Using a chewing gum she had in her pocket, she jammed the door's lock and hoped that this would buy her a few minutes to find another way in. 

 

"Shit, shit, shit... The key is stuck. Wtf!"

 

"What? Why?"

 

"Some asshole put chewing gum inside, I think." responded the guy holding the key.

 

"It must be one of the kids playing around in the waiting room. Chill, dude. Just call maintenance."

 

"I need to take these to the top floor; they're still dirty, and the machines are full here."

 

"You know we can't leave the rooms unattended and unlocked."

 

"I know."

 

"It's fine. Call it in, and let me see if I can remove the key from the lock."

 

Josie knew it would be her only chance. Granted, she thought she would be borrowing clean scrubs, but it wasn't the time to be privileged or entitled.

 

She dipped her hand into the cart and took out 3 dirty scrubs. She then quietly slipped to the bathroom to put on the cleanest out of the three. Needless to say that none of them were clean, and all three were a tad too short. 

 

Oh, well… it's too late to turn back now.

 

 

 

I'm coming, Hope. 

 

FGOELfd-VIAIIjx6

 

Unknown for now:

 

"Wake up." 

 

Landon was slowly regaining consciousness but the world around him was leisurely surging in a haze of pain. He didn't have the energy to see, smell or hear anything, for that matter.

 

His senses were overwhelmed in unending agony. His body hurt everywhere and it was begging him to shut it down again. 

 

"I said wake up, you dumb lackey. Don't make me teach you another lesson. My fists have been dying to collide with your ugly face... "

 

"Do it," whispered Landon, his tone begging for the sweet mercy of death.

 

"I wish I could, but I promised them I would keep you alive for now, at least."

 

"Them?" asked Landon attempting a fishing expedition; although in vain...

 

"You will meet your end soon, don't worry. I'm not a monster, after all. I wouldn't prolong your torment just for fun." 

 

"Kill me, please," begged Landon, his eyes drowning but unable to blink. 

 

Landon managed to utter 3 words and 3 words only. These words had been running around in an eternal circle of anguish slashing through his thoughts and consciousness. 

 

"You're not the boss here, lackey. You will die when I tell you to. Your death, just like everything else planned, is, after all, merely a pawn in our hands."

 

"Who are you?"

 

"You don't get to ask questions. Now I need you to do something for me. Are you familiar with the dewy decimal system?" 

 

"I'm not doing anything anymore. I told you."

 

"Hahaaaa. It's funny. You think that you have a choice in the matter."

 

"I won't."

 

"You will if you want your foster brother to stay alive..."

 

"Don't you dare!!"

 

"Hah!! Or what, you weasel? 2min ago, you were begging me to end your life. Trust me; there's no room for bargaining here. You do as I say when I say it. And maybe, just maybe, I won't kill your lap dog in his sleep." 

 

NINTCHDBPICT000572191626

 

 

Western General Hospital – Third Floor:

 

 

Josie was passing hallway after hallway in pride and dignity; no one would have ever thought she wasn't a doctor, not even for a second.

 

Who would have thought that watching grey's anatomy for all those years would eventually come in handy?  

 

ie-80850

 

 

Josie couldn't believe she was doing this. Fake-being a doctor.

 

This is something that Lizzie would have done for sure, but not Josie. 

 

Although, if we're being realistic, Lizzie would have probably chosen the role of the hospital director.

 

Elizabeth was never one to be subtle. She liked going big or going home. 

 

 

Room 305 

 

Josie's heart was beating so hard: it was about to fly out of her body and never come back. 

 

Josie coulnd't believe that she had reached Hope's room. 

 

Whatever happens in the aftermath of this charade... It was all worth it.

 

Seing those blue eyes, those red lips .... will make it without a doubt worth it.

 

Josie rushed inside without a second thought. She was practically hovering towards the auburn-haired girl who owned her heart when her body suddenly stopped indecisively in the center of the room, taken aback by the scene ahead. 

 

Hope's beauty had been bare, boundless, and untamed, stripping Josie of her sain thoughts. 

 

Confused and lost, her heart became still, unable to breathe, unable to spill all the pain and agony that it had been feeling up until now. 

 

A dichotomy surged and cut through Josie's heart; She longed for another and it made her strong.

 

But it also weakened her...  It stripped her of her savage soul and transformed her rebellion into silent agony.

 

Seeing Hope like that... In a hospital bed was heartbreaking.

 

Josie's heart kept resonating cries for help that uttered no sound. 

 

Screenshot-2022-10-30-at-21-37-18

 

Josie approached the bed reticently, fighting the urge to lunge at Hope's lips and tenderly kiss them back to life.

 

She needed to feel Hope's breath on her skin. She needed to see Hope's beautiful blue eyes look at her defiantly, begging her to stay.

 

But when she reached the side of the bed, all her wishes and needs evaporated.

 

Josie's hand became fiercely defiant and, without any notice, flew in to meet Hope's open palm. Touching Hope was electric. It was as if tides ravaged Josie's heart, leaving footprints of emotions and turmoil.

 

Josie was craving Hope, and touching her did nothing to silence her thoughts; it did nothing to quench her hunger; it did nothing to douse her demands; it did nothing to smother the exigency.

 

It only amplified the desire and hunger.

 

Josie only wanted more. She wanted all of Hope.

 

She wanted to hug her and kiss her.

 

She never wanted to let her go. 

 

Josie was disoriented and astray when she felt fingers embracing her hand and blue eyes tentatively sliding up like theater curtains, revealing the most breathtaking piece Josie had ever seen.

 

Startled, Josie tried to remove her hand, but to no avail. The auburn-haired girl was a determined captor. Her fingers pushed even further down and Josie's palm was now Hope's willing prisoner. 

 

"Hey, you. Nice scrubs." whispered the auburn-haired girl in a gentle but tired tone. 

 

"Sh... You shouldn't talk. I'm so glad... I mean ... I really ... I was so scared... I thought..."

 

"I never thought I would see Josie Saltzman at a loss for words."

 

"I'm just glad you're okay."

 

"I know," responded Hope, her fingers gently massaging Josie's hand. 

 

"I was really worried."

 

"I know, but I'm fine now. And you came."

 

"Of course, I came, Hopey."

 

"If you're gonna keep calling me Hopey, I'm going back to sleep."

 

"No, you can't," protested the brunette, biting her lip in disapproval. 

 

"Oh, I can't? Mmm. Why is it exactly that I can't do that?"

 

"I mean, technically, you can but please don't."

 

"I love it when you beg Saltzman. But I have a better idea." retorted Hope ending her sentence with her signature smirk. 

 

How is it that even in a hospital bed, this girl is as obnoxious as can be? 

 

"Mmmm... What is it?" asked Josie curiously. 

 

"Why don't you join me under the sheets so we can both take a nap."

 

"Hope. You're hurt, for god's sake. You have broken bones. You should rest."

 

"I don't feel anything so I must be okay."

 

"You must be high on meds, which is why you're not feeling anything."

 

"Can you help me?"

 

"Sure, what do you need?"

 

"Can I have some water?"

 

"Yes, sure. Give me a second; there's a bottle on the table."

 

Josie picked the bottle up and sat down next to Hope. She gently cupped Hope's head from the back, her hand slightly trembling from the blazing contact, and she used the other hand to lay down the bottle on Hope's lips. Josie's thoughts were shameless at this instant, zooming in on the water dripping leisurely into Hope's mouth.

 

"Josie? Jo? Jo... I kind of need to tell you something..."

 

Josie almost choked on her saliva, lost in her sea of brazen thoughts; she hadn't noticed that Hope had stopped drinking a few seconds ago, or was it minutes? Who knows?

 

Hope seemed hesitant somehow. Josie was not used to seeing Hope like this.

 

"What? Is it about the accident?" asked Josie, wondering whether this could explain Hope's reticence. 

 

Hope raised her eyebrows and rolled up her eyes.

 

"It's something else. Come closer."

 

Josie was curious but also worried.

 

Was Hope going to finally tell her about the fire?

 

Josie approached Hope's face and turned her ear towards Hope's magnificent rosy lips, waiting to hear what Hope had to say. 

 

But hope never revealed anything about the fire. Nor did she tell Josie anything about the accident.

 

Hope simply whispered in the most seductive way possible, "I missed you so much, love. And above all, I missed your lips."

 

Hope hadn't finished uttering her words before her fingers slowly caressed Josie's nape, brushing every part of her neck, stroking her chin, and beautifully rotating Josie's face in an elegant and silent invitation, calling out to the brunette's lips in a sacred seduction ritual.

 

Josie didn't have time to grasp her surroundings before she felt divine lips embracing her own.

 

Her mouth suddenly came to life, coerced by this tantalizing sway, and Josie's lips found themselves fighting to take control of the kiss, parting ever so slightly to demand the entry of Hope's tongue.

 

Kissing Hope was even better than she remembered, and her body cautiously started moving toward the other girl, gently asking for more... Hope's body briskly responded, calling out to her and shifting Josie upwards, practically constraining her to climb on top. Josie was too eager to oblige and found herself mounting and straddling Hope, imploring both bodies to meet, converge and fuse. 

 

Josie almost forgot they were at the hospital.

 

 

Almost...

 

 

 

"Yeah, Hunny. I can see that you got through to her," heard Josie before she was propelled to the other side of the room, practically at Caroline's feet. 

 

And once again, Josie was caught... But at least she wasn't in a closet this time. 

 

 

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Chapter 33: You can call me Pan.

Chapter Text

 

Western General Hospital  – Third Floor:

 

Josie was genuinely surprised by her mother's reaction or, more accurately, the lack thereof.  Caroline was not angry. She was not upset. In fact, she didn't even lecture Josie. Nope. She stayed silent and just seemed happy enough to see Hope awake. Did the CIA replace Josie's mom with a silent clone ??? That was Josie's first thought, and then the idea got more convincing as the scenario kept improving. Oh, definitely a clone: Josie was now 100% sure of that. Come on! When had Caroline ever been silent? Josie's eyes were wide open, her mouth agape in a silent scream, adrenalin pumping and hair standing on end. And then it got even crazier. Caroline had been understanding. She had been sweet and patient. She had been compassionate. She had even allowed Josie to stay by Hope's side all day. And when Josie says all day, she means all day: she even sat next to Hope on the way back home. A hazy drunk memory of intertwined hands, bodies leaning close but not close enough, sweet but taunting words, kept coming back to haunt her mind and play tricks on her. 

 

Now to be fair, Caroline had always been sweet with her daughters, but lately, she was being a real Bi...  Josie didn't even want to think of the word, but it did cross her mind a few times. 

 

Today though, Caroline was back to her old self by some miracle. 

 

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https://aminoapps.com/c/the-originals-1/page/item/caroline-forbes/g0j0_LeMCKIGmd8xWxEd6W8wQjVjpB7mZMd

 

Okay, let's rewind a bit ..... Let's go back to the part where the parents came in, and a very surprised Josie was propelled like a flying shuttlecock by her lover. 

 

Oh! And it isn't as nice as you'd think. It really hurt...

 

Josie was not happy at all with her free fall.

 

And if some of you are wondering whether she tried to flap her hands during her brief flight ... She never got the chance to even think about it as her body briskly slammed the ground 2 seconds after the launch!. 

 

Anyway, Caroline had been surprised in the beginning, to say the least. I mean, seeing her daughter straddle someone wasn't exactly her idea of a good time.

 

Strangely enough, though, she immediately ran straight to hug Hope. I know I know, you'd think Josie was imagining things.

 

The hug did take longer than expected, and Hope had to clear her throat, making it clear that this had gone on a bit too long for her taste.

 

And then Caroline asked to talk to Josie outside. Oh, yes: she asked instead of demanding. I know, shocking… Josie was stunned, to say the least, but who was she to deny her mom such a beautiful reunion?

 

She certainly wasn't planning to push her luck and ask if her mom was high on Hospital Ventilation.

 

If Caroline wanted to be a good mom after everything, Josie was ready to accept it and act as if nothing had happened: for today at least and for Hopey's sake, her maybe, hopefully, almost-girlfriend.

 

Oh God, just thinking about that felt so exhilarating! She and Hope were certainly not official yet. I mean, they hadn't even talked about it. But did Josie ever straddle a non-girlfriend before? Of course not.

 

Then again, Josie was having a lot of firsts with Hope … And she didn't know if normal rules applied here.

 

It was Hope Mikealson for god's sake. Did she really care that much about labels? Ugh… her thoughts were on a loop like a broken record. 

 

Why couldn't she be just happy for now, happy that Hope was safe, happy that they kissed again, happy that Hope had missed her and that her mom had understood where she was coming from?

 

Josie had always loved Shakespeare. Although her life had never mirrored any of his plays before.

 

And now she understood. She understood the inner conflict that beings could feel, just like Othello or Hamlet or even Juliet.

 

She was experiencing it first hand: the friction between settling and wanting more that was ripping her heart apart.

 

She just got Hope back in one piece and she was already getting ahead of herself again.

 

Should she ask Hope what they were? Where they were heading? Should she just settle?

 

To ask or not to ask that was Josie's question. 

 

Caroline had asked for an explanation, and Josie tried her best to give her a believable scenario, a string of decent half-truths that wouldn't make her mom go ballistic. Josie did refrain, however, from explaining that she hid in Stefan's trunk.

 

It was her mom actually who gave her the idea.

 

"Did you take a taxi, or did someone drop you off?"

 

"Taxi."

 

"Okay, good."

 

"Am I in trouble?"

 

"That depends. Are you hiding anything else?"

 

"Not at all. Scout's Honor."

 

"Nice try. Your idea of camping is sleeping in my bathtub, listening to radioface and drinking orange juice."

 

"Mom, it's radiohead, but point taken."

 

"I love you. I know you're having a hard time believing that. But I do. I love you so much."

 

Caroline suddenly pulled her daughter in for a hug.

 

"I know, mom, I know. I love you too, and I'm sorry for being a brat. I'm just trying to find my own way to deal with things, and I wish you would trust me more."

 

"I do. I do trust you. I trust you more than I trust myself sometimes. I just worry, baby." 

 

"I promise that you don't need to worry about me", responded Josie, forfeiting her concerns and fears and attempting to convey a sort of pseudo-confidence to reassure her mom and maybe herself a little. 

 

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Fortunately for her, though, Caroline was too engrossed in the hug to notice her daughter's concealed distress signals. 

 

"How about that kiss, though? That was some kiss…."

 

Josie's face blushed a brilliant scarlet, and her fight or flight response was on high alert.

 

Josie needed to flee the scene immediately. Everything was too fresh in her mind: the kiss, the straddling, the grinding…. Then her mom's ambush, of course, and the hovering or, more accurately, the rough landing that came after. 

 

"I'm kidding. Oh my god, you girls treat me like I'm some 600 years old mummy. I've also had my fair share of kisses, you know."

 

"No one wants to hear that, mom."

 

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"I do", responded Stefan from the other side with a smirk on his face "where did you get the scrubs from, by the way?" 

 

"Oh, shit. I forgot about those."

 

"You can tell us about it over breakfast. We're going to get some bagels; you can go wait with Hope in the meantime," added Stefan with a wink. 

 

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Western General Hospital - Hope's Room:

 

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"Are you okay, love? That was some fall…"

 

Hope carefully lifted her (non-broken) hand and placed it on Josie's forehead caressing the small bruise. "Purple is such a pretty color" she said with a smirk.

 

Josie went numb for just a second before she had a surge of courage and decided to pull Hope's hand into her lap encircling it with her palms on each side.

 

"Really? It doesn't feel pretty." responded Josie with a wink. 

 

Hope was really enjoying Josie's boldness and it felt nice to be taken care of.

 

"I'm really sorry about that by the way, I just panicked" said Hope apologetically. 

 

"I know. I felt it firsthand." responded Josie, a sweet smile adorning her face "I'm fine though. I'm more worried about you. Does your hand hurt?"

 

"I don't feel a thing."

 

"You don't need to act tough, for my sake."

 

"Huh. You want me weak so you could take advantage of me? So scandalous, Miss Saltzman."

 

Josie's face went up in flames. Shen then pinched hope's hand in retaliation. 

 

"Oh, be serious for a minute."

 

"Okay, elaborate then. What did you mean by not acting tough."

 

"Well, if you must know, I actually love seeing your vulnerable side." 

 

"Yeah? Why's that?"

 

"I just… Nothing, forget it."

 

"No, come on Jo, tell me. I'm serious. I want to know."

 

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"Okay, well. I like taking care of you sometimes. You're always there defending me and helping me when I needed it, and I just want you to know that you can count on me too. You don't need to always do everything on your own."

 

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Hope went silent, not expecting to hear these kind words.

 

She knew she wasn't able to answer or explain why she was the way she was, but she appreciated the gesture wholeheartedly.

 

So she responded the only way she knew how to, and Josie was soon pulled into a hug. 

 

 

Western General Hospital  - Third Floor:

 

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https://www.tvfanatic.com/gallery/snacks-could-help-the-vampire-diaries-s6e12/

 

 

"That was really sweet."

 

"Yeah, well, I'm sweet."

 

"I know, but I also know how hard that was for you", responded Stefan, his voice laced with gentle concern "I'm proud of you."

 

"You're making me feel like a teenager here. I mean, I'm her mom, and I know I screw up sometimes, but I love her."

 

"You did great." 

 

"Everything okay at school?"

 

"They're just so busy with the upcoming game that they are actually behaving."

 

"Good."

 

 "Oh, and Damon called."

 

"Never a good way to start a sentence."

 

Stefan burst out laughing "It was actually good news. Damon said they have a witness that has apparently seen a boy that matches Landon's description. He's going down to the station to make a statement." 

 

"Finally…" Caroline's eyes were tearing up…." Finally, some good news."

 

Stefan pulled the beautiful woman in front of him into a tight hug. 

 

Stefan-Caroline

 

Western General Hospital  - Hope's room:

 

 

 

"Are things Rated G over here? Can we come in?"

 

"Oh, my god, mom. Can you make things any more awkward?" 

 

"Lighten up, Mother Theresa. We come in peace, and we brought bagels."

 

"Thanks. I'm starving."

 

"How are you feeling, Hope?"

 

"Much better. When can I go Home?" responded Hope in haste.

 

Josie smiled at that last word... Home... Huh.

 

"Well, I just need to talk to Dr Tyler again and sign a few documents, and I think we're good to go."

 

"You can go back with Stefan and Hope."

 

Josie's heart skipped a beat ", You sure, mom? If you need me to go with you, I can do that."

 

"Oh, don't be silly. I don't need a chaperone. Go help Hope."

 

"Sounds good."

 

"But honey?"

 

"Yeah?"

 

"You still need to return the scrubs and apologize."

 

"I almost forgot about those."

 

"Wait, did you actually steal these scrubs from the Hospital?" asked Hope.

 

"Uhm, you mean borrow. "

 

"I thought you wore your Halloween costume or something." 

 

"I wish..."

 

Hope's eyes crinkled, the corners of her mouth upturned, and her white pearls were on display.

 

Jo was damn cute sometimes. 

 

"Well, I'm going to go call the doctor; finish your bagel and bring the scrubs back. Have fun!"

 

 

Western General Hospital - Laundry Room:

 

Josie did have to give back the scrubs (eventually) and apologize for "borrowing them". But that was only fair, she thought.

 

So she did what she had to do. And by that, I mean she lied her pants off. 

 

1 - She went down to the laundry room and knocked on the door (it turns out she does know how to knock).

 

2 - She then proceeded to explain to the staff that she had found the uniform on the floor in front of the bathroom and that it was a misled attempt to fulfil her all-time dream of being a doctor. She even shed tears for more dramatic effect. And they bought it. They believed every word that was coming from her deceitful lips.

 

3 - They even suggested that she could apply to intern there on weekends. And Josie just launched the waterworks again… You'd think that it would be useless to use the same old trick again, but if a ruse is working, then why change it? And so she milked the said ruse dry.

 

Who would have thought that her theatrical skills would come in handy someday?  I can honestly tell you that she never thought so. 

 

She certainly never thought that she would steal scrubs from a hospital, return them and get a job offer as a reward for screwing up. But then again, meeting the auburn-haired godess that she had just kissed this morning was also never on her agenda. 

 

In Stefan's car:

 

This time around, Josie sat in the backseat instead of the trunk and Hope sat next to her on the left side. Not that Hope particularly liked this seat. It was mostly to make sure that her right hand was on Josie's side.

 

Josie spotted that as Hope's hand interweaved her own without so much as a notice.

 

"So tell me .." whispered Hope.

 

"What? I couldn't hear the last part" responded Josie.

 

"I meant that..."

 

"What? Hopey I can't hear you. Can you stop whispering?"

 

"Well..." Hope stuttered for a few seconds before spitting out "Maybe you should come a little closer then, Jo."

 

Josie started blushing and kept looking to the front to see if Stefan had heard that before slapping Hope on her hand. 

 

"Are you crazy? My step dad is here" lectured Josie, her eyebrows furrowed. 

 

"I just wanted to talk" protested Hope with the cutest pout ever.

 

Stefan feighned ignorance and refrained from checking his mirror.

 

Josie didn't know what was up but she had to admit that the grown-ups were really being sweet today. 

 

"Okay, Okay don't pout Hopey. Is your hand okay?"

 

"Yes. Yes. It's fine. Jo, I want to know what I've missed at school."

 

"You were only gone a few days, you didn't miss anything huge. I'll tell you all about ti when you're settled in." 

 

"I'm so hungry."

 

"How are you hungry?? You ate 2 whole bagels an hour ago."

 

"So? I'm sick, my body needs noursihments." 

 

" I don't think biology works like that babe. But I will make you a peanut butter sandwich when we get there and maybe some soup."

 

"No, I don't want a soup."

 

"You said it: you are sick, so a soup will make you feel better."

 

"I don't have pneumonia Jo, I have a broken hand."

 

"Oh you poor baby" responded Josie with a huge smirk "Let me take care of you."

 

Hope's face turned ruby red and she almost chocked on her own spit "Shhhh... keep your voice down, we're not alone here. It's really  not the time to play naughty nurse."

 

Josie burst out in laughter as Hope's pout got just bigger by the second. 

 

"I really missed you Hopey."

 

"What?"

 

"I said I missed you."

 

"I know. I heard it the first time. Just wanted to hear it again."

 

"Jerk..."

 

"Yes I am. But admit it. You like it."

 

Hope squeezed Josie's hand three times in a row, trying to echo a part of her overwhelming feelings and Josie squeezed back in reassurance.

 

Salvator School :

 

 

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"We're here girls. Your mom already explained everything to your teachers so you should be fine for today. Just don't miss classes tomorrow."

 

"Thanks Stefan."

 

"Oh, and Josie?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Here's your phone back."

 

I missed this place thought Hope, as she stepped inside. 

 

Josie had insisted on carrying her bag and was right behind her.

 

"Mikealson!!!!" screamed Jade and Maya as they were waiting for Hope at the bottom of the stairs, before swallowing her whole in a very tight hug.

 

"Guys you're smothering me. Broken Hand!!"

 

Josie couldn't help but smile at the endearing scene playing ahead. Even Lizzie and MG were there waiting to see if Hope was okay.

 

"Glad you're doing well Mikealson, here you go." said Lizzie as she gently patted Hope's head. 

 

"Uhm, thanks for whatever that was... But can you stop ?"

 

"You're just so short and small like a little kitty" insisted Lizzie.

 

"Stop Saltzman. I'm serious. I'm not a poodle."

 

Josie just wanted to kiss Hope's pout away. 

 

"Okay everyone back off, she needs some rest " intervened Josie to Hope's delight.

 

"Who died and made you queen?" asked Maya her voice laced with venom.

 

"Really? we're back to that?"

 

"Okay, fine. But only because we're sort of friends now. I'll pass by later, Mikealson."

 

"We can all have a movie night" said Jade.

 

"We're in" intervened Lizzie speaking on MG's behalf as well "and Jo, you should also tell Lemmens and Sebastian."

 

"Look at you saying her name correctly."      

 

"Whatever" responded Lizzie, her face scarlet red "Let's go MG. I need my daily dose of cafeine."

 

 

Salvator School - Dormitory:

 

"Okay go and lay down. I will pack your stuff."

 

"I'm fine Jo. You don't need to treat me like a baby."

 

"I said lay down right now" repeated Josie in a stern manner, forehead wrinkled, and a scowling face.

 

Hope almost got chills "Okay, Okay. Remind me not to mess with you when you're angry."

 

"I'm not angry. You're just so stubborn sometimes."

 

Josie started unpacking Hope's bag. Her mom had packed a lot of colorful clothes. Where did she even get them from?

 

Josie thought that Hope's clothes were mosty black or leather.  She even found a pink t-shirt. She was definitely going to torture Hope about this later on.

 

Josie also found a sketchbook and a few pencils. 

 

Hope was silent probably resting her eyes, so Josie's curiosity took the best of her and she decided to take a peek into the sketchbook. 

 

Hope was brilliant and each sketch was better than the one before. 

 

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There were also a few portraits, most of them of the same couple: a beautiful woman and a handsome man that beared a slight resemblance to Hope. Maybe her uncle or her father, Josie thought. 

 

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/95159251@N04/23353619633

 

But what really mezmirized her was the most recent sketch... An unfinished one.

 

 

Josie couldn't believe her eyes. she picked up the sketchbook and held it close to her heart, face blushing and skin flushing.

 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbO4pSqwMK8

 

She then looked back to see if Hope had noticed what was happening and was surprised to see her asleep.

 

Josie quickly put the sketchbook on Hope's desk and went over to give Hope a kiss on her forehead before she left the room. 

 

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As Josie made her way to her room, her heart was racing and she couldn't stop smiling. She needed to take a shower and see what to wear for tonight.

 

Lizzie had texted her on the way over that they will be hosting the movie night in their room and Josie was so drunk on hapiness that she didn't even mind preparing everything. 

 

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Josie was ready to jump in the shower when she heard a knock on her door.

 

"Honey, it's me, can I come in?"

 

"Yeah sure mom" responded Josie as she went outside in her robe to open the door. 

 

"Oh, you were in the shower? sorry I can go. I just wanted to check up on you."

 

"No, it's fine mom. I hadn't started yet so you came in right on time."

 

"Are you doing okay with everything?" 

 

"Yes. I'm doing much better now that we're home."

 

"Good. And look for what it's worth, I'm glad you and Hope are getting along."

 

"That's one word for it, but thanks Mom." 

 

"Feel free to not answer but a mother has to ask. Is it getting serious?"

 

"Oh god no mom. We just started going out. I mean I don't know. Do I like her? Yes. Do I want it to be serious? Yes, I do. Does she want that too? I don't know. I mean. We're having fun now and that's also fine."

 

"Have you tried telling her that you might want more?"

 

"She just got out of the hospital. I don't want to make things about me. It's not that important anyway."

 

"If it's important to you, I'm sure it's important to Hope too. I don't know if there is even a right time for these things but I do know that honesty is always the best policy, honey."

 

"I'll think about it."

 

"You do that. Oh, and someone left this for you at the door. Maybe it's from Hope."

 

Caroline handed her a sealed letter and Josie's skin started prickling with intense emotions.

 

She was waiting for her mom to leave when blond hair jumped in the door unanouced.

 

"Jooo. I need to tell you something. Oh, hey mom."

 

"Hey honey. I will leave you to your gossip then."

 

"I don't gossip mom. I just deliver the news."

 

"And the School deeply appreciates your services. Bye, girls" Caroline smiled at her daughters before waving goodbye and shutting the door behind her. 

 

josie was chuckling when her sister took the envelope from her hand.

 

"What's that?"

 

"Hey, give it back. I think it's a letter from Hope."

 

"Well. What does it say?"

 

"It's private."

 

"Oh, come on. I'm your sister, we shared a womb together." 

 

"Yes, the good old days when we each had a seperate amniotic sac and you didn't have a voice."

 

"Come on tell me pleasee..."

 

"I haven't even read it yet."

 

"Okay, read it. I will stand far away from you to give you your privacy."

 

"Fine" Josie quickly opened the envelope "Oh, it's a riddle, I think." 

 

"How boring. You both really are a bunch of nerds. Have fun playing Dora the explorer sis! I'm gona go shower."

 

Josie wasn't even listening anymore and didn't notice that Lizzie hijacked the bathroom.

 

 

 

Meet me at  187.55

 

What was Hope playing at? Josie looked at the numbers again carefully. 

 

"Got it! It's the Dewey Decimal System in the library..."

 

Did Hope plan a secret rendez-vous at the library between dusty books? Josie's senses started tingling, she put on a dress and quickly ran down to see what Hope had in mind. 

 

 

Salvator School - Library:

 

Josie was at a loss. She was sure that it was the dewey system and had followed the message to the letter but couldn't find the library section she was looking for.

 

She had actually reached a locked door right where she was supposed to keep going.

 

And to be honest, Josie had never seen a door there before.

 

Granted it was next to the geology section, a place she hadn't ventured in yet, but she also never in a million years would have thought that the school would have a restricted zone at the library.

 

The door had a weird security system and Josie's fingers were itching to try something. Did she really think her mom would use the same password for everything? Absolutely. 

 

So Josie did what any teenager in her place would have done. She typed "Tres magicae numerus est" and the door beeped before it opened. 

 

WTF, how did Hope know about the password??? Josie wanted to ask her as soon as she finds her. 

 

And so the brunette went inside and was shocked to see the section completely submerged with dust and cobweb. It seemed like this place hadn't been cleaned in at least 500 years. Hope is crazy if she thinks Josie is going to have a makeout session in the midst of all these spiders. 

 

"Here we go. This is the book. I guess Hope must have left me another message there." 

 

Josie was shocked to see that the book in question had no title on it "Strange" she uttered as she opened it and found it completely empty. Not a word was written on it. She flipped it on all its sides and scanned each page seperately but nothing. Maybe I need UV light, she thought. 

 

 

Screenshot-2022-11-09-at-16-05-55

 

Josie removed the dust that was on the book and took the latter with her as she exited the restricted zone. 

 

Back in her room, she tried to see if the book had UV-invisible ink but nothing, it was just blank. Josie was getting more frustrated by the minute. She had just wasted two hours of her life for a fucking useless empty book.

 

She threw the book on her bed whispering "Waste of time" before she took her clothes off and jumped in the shower. She decided to wear a nice yellow top with a high waste dark blue skirt and was putting a bit of makeup on when someone knocked on her door. 

 

"Hey, Jo. You look nice!"

 

"Don't even bother, Hopey. Not after sending me on that wild goosechase."

 

"What do you mean Jo?"

 

"That letter you sent,"

 

"I did no such thing. I just woke up actually and wanted to see when we're meeting up."

 

"You could have texted."

 

"Okay smarty pants. I wanted to see you and .."

 

Josie didn't wait for an explination as she quickly approached the auburn-haired girl and planted a chaste kiss on her lips. 

 

"And that. Now what was that about a letter?"

 

"I don't know. I got this letter that led me to this book." 

 

Josie held the black book in her hand as Hope's gaze grew wider.

 

"And what exactly is it?"

 

"I don't know. Here look it's empty."

 

Hope took the book to look at it and hastily responded "No, it's not love."

 

"What do you mean? It was empty 30 min ago."

 

"It says and I quote: It doesn't have to be a waste of time."

 

"What?" Josie's mouth was agape. "Waste of time", that's what she had said before jumping in the shower "Weird."

 

"I have to go change, we can check this book out later. Where are we meeting tonight?"

 

"mmm... Lizzie and I suggested we do it here."

 

"And by that you mean Lizzie decided" said Hope with a smirk on her face.

 

"Pretty much."

 

Hope kissed Josie on her cheek "See you later, Jo" but Josie was still processing what just happened.

 

She threw the book back on the bed before picking it up again and saying "Why isn't this a waste?" She felt so silly... But a part of her was too curious to pass this up. Josie carefully opened the book again but this time the page was empty.

 

She was definitely going crazy. 

 

"What is this?" she whispered and then the unthinkeable happened. Words started appearing on the page.

 

You know what this is...

 

Josie almost dropped the book, but she needed to know what was going on "Who are you?" she whispered as if talking to the book iself, and words started appearing again. 

 

You can call me Pan.

 

 

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Chapter 34: You're fine. We're fine. Stay behind me!

Chapter Text

 

Josie's POV:

 

Josie almost dropped the book. 

 

"Who are you?" she whispered.

You can call me Pan.

 

 

 

 

Thoughts: What the hell was happening? Am I talking to an actual book? Oh, my... I'm once again giving a whole new meaning to bookworms.

 

"Peter? Like Peter Pan?"

 

Thoughts: Bad time to joke. Then again… 

 

"I meant…", but before Josie could take her question back, black ink started progressively drifting on white. 

 

Unfortunately, not as young as him.

 

"What do you mean? How old are you?"

It is impolite to ask a book this question. 

 

Thoughts: Impolite? What is this Downton Abbey? You're a fucking book. And yet here I am talking to you. I'm officially going crazy. 

 

"What do you want from me?" mumbled Josie glowering at the white page, attempting to convey her sternness with a grim look. 

 

Nothing in particular. 

 

"Then why talk to me at all?"

 

I was lonely.

 

Thoughts: Makes sense… No it doesn't. It's a book. Are books supposed to be social or something? What am I even thinking?

 

Clearly, you aren't.

 

"What the fuck. Get out of my mind!!! How are you even doing this?"

 

Screenshot-2022-12-11-at-23-05-54

 

 

 

I only hear what you intend me to hear.

 

"Wait… Does it mean I can speak to you telepathically?" 

 

Only if you want to.

 

"Why me?"

 

Circumstances dictated it, and I'm not that picky.

 

"Because I opened the book?"

 

I suppose.

 

"Ugh… I can't do this now."

 

I'm in no rush.

 

"I need to go..."

 

Yes. Movie night. I haven't had one in a long time.

 

Thoughts: Why would books need movie nights? Wouldn't that defeat the purpose of their existence? Why am I even debating this?

 

"How did you know? How did you know I have a movie night?"

 

I hear things. Say hi to Hope for me.

 

"What? How did..."

 

As I said, I only hear what you intend me to hear.

 

Thoughts: This isn't the time to dwell on things. I have people coming over tonight, and I need to prepare everything. Pan or Black book will have to wait. 

 

Josie picked the book up, her throat parched "I… Bye Pan."

 

She looked up solemnly at this sombre conundrum, placing the book on top of the highest shelf, hoping that her Harry Potter box set which was also situated there, would be enough to divert the attention of curious eyes. Her room was bathed in soft orange light as the sun was slowly but surely drowning in soil, emanating whatever residual light it still had from the window. Josie noticed shadows playfully dancing on the walls going through and around her own. Hers was frigid, frozen in its place, not even attempting to mingle with the rest. Josie's shadow was at her mercy, or more accurately, at the mercy of her thoughts: deep recollections that were understood and misunderstood. This had been a long day, and Josie was slowly feeling the weight of it settle on her shoulders. She found herself imagining spending the evening with Hope, with just Hope. She needed her and only her. She didn't mind hanging out with the others per se, but with everything on her mind now, bonding with her classmates wasn't a priority. Landon disappearing, letters appearing, fires erupting, Hope getting injured and now finding this ill omen… Whatever this book was, Josie didn't have a good feeling about it, and everything else made things worse. The weight was unbearable, and Josie found herself unwillingly settling on her bed, her feet no longer able to hold her steady. 

 

Were all these events a blessing in disguise?  Josie knew now more than ever that she cared about Hope. She cared about her a great deal. And yet, she didn't know whether she was ready to show Hope just how much she cared. Josie didn't know if she would be capable of disrobing either side of her desires. Whether emotionally or physically, she had no clue what to do and if even she was ready to do anything.

 

The last time she had been this vulnerable was with her dad. Josie always swore that he had changed, that he wouldn't break her heart this time around. Josie never wanted to be someone that lets the world break her twice or even thrice. She knew she wasn't the instigator of these heartbreaks, and yet, she felt like she was. Welcoming those same eyes and then wondering why the hell she ever let them in never cured her insanity. It wasn't only her dad. Josie's heart had been broken again and again by people she loved, by people she adored. Once again, she knew she wasn't the instigator of these heartbreaks, and yet, she felt like she was. 

Thoughts: Am I insane to think that Hope could be different? Am I insane to think that Hope could break the vicious cycle? Could she cure me of my insanity? Or am I just setting myself up for failure? Am I just begging the world to go ahead and break my heart again? 

 

Several knocks pulled Josie out of her daze, bringing her back to her harsh reality. 

 

"It's Jade and Maya", she heard from across the door before she went to open it. 

 

"Just in time to help me prepare" answered Josie, a smile on her face, feigning bliss.

 

"I told you we're too early. See you later,"  replied Maya, turning towards the door and bolting at top speed out of the room into the corridor. 

 

"What do you need?" offered Jade helpfully. "Forget about Maya. She's an acquired taste."

 

"You don't say," answered Josie whilst tutting playfully.

 

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"So, did you pick a movie already?"

 

"Mmm not yet. But we both know that Lizzie probably has something in mind." 

 

"Lizzie? I don't believe it. She's usually so laid-back", responded Jade, a colossal grin adorning her face. 

 

Josie choked and spat a mouthful of water as she laughed, spraying it all over her friend. 

 

"Great Job. You just added cleaning to our chores."

 

"Hey… it's not my fault you chose to joke when I was drinking. That is a real hazard, by the way!" groaned Josie before passing Jade a towel to wipe her face. 

 

"Yeah, yeah… As the person that's been submerged by a tsunami a minute ago, I don't think you can play the victim card here, Jo."

 

"Sorry. Next time, I'll spit the water on my outfit…."

 

"That would be a crime against humanity. You look gorgeous."  

 

Jade bumped Josie's shoulder with her own, and Josie blushed, a warm smile on her face. 

 

"Uhm... thanks, Jade. You don't look so bad yourself."

 

Thoughts: Was Jade Flirting with me?  And did she just call me Jo?

 

And just like clockwork, her phone beeped. It was a text from Hope. 

 

HOPEY <3 ---> Sorry about earlier. I wanted to ask you something, but I chickened out.

 

Another text followed.

 

HOPEY <3 ---> I know we just started dating, but I was wondering how do you feel about PDA?

 

 

Thoughts: PDA???  Oh, my... I haven't even thought about that. Am I ready to tell everyone? 

 

Hope was clearly panicking since a third text message swooped in a second later.

 

HOPEY <3 ---> No pressure. I kind of like being in our own bubble!

 

Thoughts:  She is just so cute... 

 

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Jo <3 ---> I like it too. Would it be okay if we waited a bit? I don't know if I'm ready to tell everyone yet 

 

HOPEY <3 ---> Your mom already knows, me thinks :p

 

Jo <3 ---> Yup... And Lizzie probably suspects it. Which just leaves everyone else...

 

HOPEY <3 ---> And you're not ready for that yet? 

 

Jo <3 ---> I mean I just feel like I want to keep you to myself for now. 

 

Jo <3 ---> I feel like others could ruin things with their questions and all the pressure

 

HOPEY <3 ---> You feel like people might ruin this 

 

Jo <3 ---> Haha Jinx... It creeps me out when you read me so well. 

 

HOPEY <3 ---> I actually like it. 

 

Jade coughed loudly and leaned forward to poke Josie's arm. 

 

"I can see that you're busy. Should I come back later?"

 

"Oh... No. Sorry. How about we go get some snacks?" 

 

Josie quickly put her jacket on before leaving the room and Jade followed her out in haste rushing to catch her.

 

"You seem flustered. Are you okay?"

 

"Uhm. Yes. Just thinking about everything." 

 

"Yes. It's quite the adventure we've been having." 

 

"Adventure? Not the term I would use…" sighed Josie, aware that Jade was trying to reframe things, make them lighter, but unwilling to do that herself.

 

Things have been weighty lately, and everything needed to be dealt with, or it would just get worse...

 

"No. Yeah, sorry, you're right. I shouldn't have said that."

 

Screenshot-2022-12-11-at-23-12-42

 

"It's fine. I think I'm just drowning in everything, and the things we read about the past and the shepherd make it all even worse… Imagine if every shitty thing that was happening now somehow relates to things that happened decades and decades ago…"

 

"It always does, Jo. The past always finds a way to come back to life…" 

 

"Then we need to understand it to beat it." 

 

"And we will. I've been looking into things a bit more and found some facts worth mentioning."

 

"Like?"

 

"How about we have fun tonight and talk about it tomorrow?"

 

"But..."

 

"No buts..."

 

"Okay", resigned Josie. 

 

"Your phone beeped."

 

"mmm...."

 

Josie tried acting casual about it but almost lost her balance on the stairs whilst getting her phone from her pocket. 

 

HOPEY <3 ---> What are you doing, BTW?

 

Jo <3 ---> Nothing much. Getting some snacks for tonight.

 

HOPEY <3 ---> Alone?

 

Jo <3 ---> Not really. I'm with Jade.

 

HOPEY <3 ---> Just Jade? 

 

 

"Hey, Jo... I've been thinking..."

 

Jade interrupted Josie in her haze to ask her something hefty. Josie could sense that. 

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Well. I was wondering if I could invite you for coffee or dinner sometime. I mean, just the two of us."

 

"I..."

 

Legacies-S4-Josie

 

Thoughts: Hope is going to be so pissed... Oh, shit… I haven't answered Hope yet. 

 

Jo <3 ---> Yes. Is that a problem? 

 

HOPEY <3 ---> Depends. Do you like her?

 

Jo <3 ---> I used to have a crush on her. 

 

HOPEY <3 ---> Are you trying to comfort me? Because honestly, you're doing a shitty job of it.

 

 

"Don't read too much into things. I just enjoy your company..." added Jade to ease Josie's nerves.

 

Jo <3 ---> Like a date?

 

Thoughts: Shit, Shit, Shit, I didn't mean to write that...

 

"Jo?" Jade was getting impatient, 

 

"Like a date?"

 

HOPEY <3 ---> WTF?? What do you mean? 

 

"I mean, why not? Are you seeing anyone?" 

 

Josie hesitated before responding, "No. Not particularly."

 

" Is it Hope?"

 

"No. I'm not seeing anyone."

 

"Okay, no need to be snappy. I just felt like you were saying No to the date" , whispered Jade, her brows furrowed. 

 

"No."

 

"So that's a yes? I'll take it" answered Jade in haste. 

 

Thoughts: I'm so fucked. Did I just say yes?? 

 

Jo <3 ---> Sorry, I didn't mean to send it. I'll explain later. I like you. okay?

 

HOPEY <3 ---> Just me?

 

Jo <3 ---> Only you.

 

HOPEY <3 ---> Good to know :) But you still need to explain later. 

 

 

Thoughts: I need to fix this. I'll just explain to Jade that I like someone else... 

 

"Maya and Hope are joining us soon. Should I tell them to meet us in your room?" asked Jade calmly. 

 

"Huh?"

 

Thoughts: Maya and Hope?? WTF? Why are these two names uttered in the same sentence? They're friends... That's okay... Although Maya really seems to like Hope...

 

"Maya texted me to ask us where we were. She was hanging out with Hope, helping her get ready or something..." 

 

"Helping her get ready?" repeated Josie, dumbstruck, her eyes blinking excessively as if something was poking them nonstop. "Yeah. My room is fine."

 

 

Jo <3 ---> Are you with Maya?

 

Thoughts: That was aggressive... Why did I send this?

 

HOPEY <3 ---> Yeah, she came to give me some notes and homework that I missed.

 

Jo <3 ---> Homework... that sounds cosy. 

 

HOPEY <3 ---> We're just friends, Jo.

 

Jo <3 ---> So you were going on and on about Jade... And you've been with Maya this entire time?

 

HOPEY <3 ---> It's homework. Besides, you're the one that said you wanted to keep us a secret.

 

Jo <3 ---> That was before I knew you couldn't keep it in your pants!

 

HOPEY <3 ---> Did you just get angry at something I didn't even do?

 

Jo <3 ---> I didn't mean that... 

 

HOPEY <3 ---> And what about the date thing, what is that? 

 

Jo <3 ---> There's no date. 

 

HOPEY <3 ---> Then what is it that you want to explain?

 

Jo <3 ---> I can't explain now. 

 

HOPEY <3 ---> So let me get this straight: You asked me to keep quiet, and I am honouring your request. But somehow, I'm the villain?

 

Jo <3 ---> You can't blame me for doubting you. Maya has been throwing herself at you all month long...

 

HOPEY <3 --->  Whatever. Let's talk later when you're not like this...

 

Jo <3 ---> Like what?

 

 

Josie's last text was marked as unread. Hope was clearly mad now, and Josie didn't blame her for it. 

 

Thoughts: I fucked up, and I don't even know how things escalated this quickly...  

 

Josie wanted to apologise but instead, the saboteur inside her just kept adding fuel to the fire, answering on her behalf, pointing fingers at Hope when Hope didn't really do anything wrong. Josie was the one that asked to keep things private and then she said yes to Jade... so if we were really keeping scores... Josie was the one that fucked up at least twice and then fucked up again by making things about Hope instead of just apologising. 

 

Thoughts: This night was undoubtedly starting out poorly. 

 

 

Back in her Room - 1 hour later: 

 

Lizzie was thinking of changing her outfit for the tenth time already when Josie barged in. 

 

"Took you long enough to arrive." 

 

"Yeah, we were getting snacks", responded Josie before giving her sister an impromptu hug.

 

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"What was that for?"

 

"Thanks for earlier."

 

"Sure thing. Hey Jade!"

 

"Hey, Lizzie. Did you settle on an outfit yet?"

 

"mmm, not yet. What an ugly sweater... Why did I even buy that sweater?" nagged Lizzie looking at her sister wide-eyes and mouth agape. 

 

"Lizzie. That's mine."

 

"Oh! Cute sweater.." countered Lizzie chucking at her lack of tact. 

 

Thoughts: Rude... 

 

"So", interjected Jade, "Who's coming?"

 

"Mmm, you know the usual..." retorted Lizzie.

 

Thoughts: What is she hiding?

 

" Oh... Did you also invite Sebastian?"

 

"Mmm yup."

 

"And Ayla?" added Josie, her eyebrow raised in mild interest. 

 

"I suppose..."

 

"Quite the trio", said Jade with a wink.

 

"Yes... My sister, ladies and gentlemen.. leading Project Threesome." 

 

"I only invited them because MG told me he might not be able to come."

 

"So the triangle becomes a rectangle... mmm, interesting", teased Josie.

 

"Whatever. At least we're staying here, so no walk of Shame!"

 

"Oh please, Lizz, when did you have shame?" intervened Josie bursting into laughter, her palm settling on the table in front of her to hold on to it as she sensed her body crumbling. Jade followed her lead and started chuckling wildly.

 

"Very funny, you two. At least I have someone. What's your excuse? You're probably going to help each other clean vagina cobwebs when you're 60." 

 

Josie and Jade both went silent, their voices disappearing into the abyss, their faces flaming red. 

 

"You're really something. Can't you be normal for once??" shrieked Josie, embarrassed. 

 

"Who wants to be normal? Nice and normal in the head, nice and normal in the bed. And we all know I'm anything but nice in bed," retorted Lizzie, pride sewing every word coming out of her mouth.

 

"Ewww... Lizzie.. Why would I know how you are in bed."

 

"It's genetics, baby... You probably have the same talents." Lizzie winked at Josie.

 

Jade just flinched and coughed.

 

She shot Josie a furtive glance "Uhmm, Jo. I'll be back. I should see why Maya is taking so long."

 

"You do that, honey," answered Lizzie instead, as Jade closed the door behind her. "She is so into you it's embarrassing for people around you two."

 

"Lizzie, you know that I like someone else.."

 

"Well, maybe there's enough of you for both."

 

"Why do I even bother with you?"

 

"Okay. Okay. Tell me something then about you and Hope."

 

"Well..."

 

"Come on. I'm your sister. We shared a womb... tell me, tell me..."

 

"Hopey painted a picture of me... It was breathtaking... It hit me hard. Made me melt, Lizzie..."

 

"Oh, she's into finger painting and shit?"

 

"She's into Art, not finger painting... Now, do you see why I don't tell you things?"

 

"Okay. Okay. Sorry, it's cute... Does she know how you feel about it?"

 

"No, I kind of looked at it while she was sleeping..."

 

"Bad girl!!! Oh, you lecture me all day, but when it comes to it ... You're worse than me sissy... Good for you."

 

Thoughts: If Lizzie is congratulating me, then I should be scared.

 

"Lizzie, what are you doing with my sweater???"

 

"I'm trying to see if it would look better without these huge sleeves."

 

"Put the scissors down, Liz..." were Josie's last words before she heard snipping sounds... 

 

"Nope... Also ugly without sleeves..."

 

"Lizzie... I loved this sweater.."

 

"I'm sorry, sis, but It had to be sacrificed for science..."

 

Thoughts: Kill Elizabeth Now!!

 

josie-saltzman-riiped-off

 

 

 

7 PM: 

 

"What kind of sociopath comes this early?" whispers Lizzie in disdain. 

 

"You told me to be here at 7 pm, Trigger..." explains Ayla. 

 

"So? You never heard of fashionably late?" 

 

"Get in, Ayla" intervened Josie before pushing her sister slightly and opening the door wide for her friend. "Ignore my sister; she skipped lunch today, so she's cranky..."

 

"It's okay. I get it. I brought some cookies with me." 

 

"You bake?" asked Elizabeth before devouring 3 cookies. "These are so delicious! You're forgiven, Lemmens."

 

Ayla blushed profusely, and Elizabeth smiled, crumbles falling from her mouth on the carpet. She then took Ayla by the hand and sat her down on her bed, the cookies safely tucked on her lap. 

 

"Manners, Lizzie..." Josie shook her head in disapproval. "Oh my god, have you never seen cookies before?"

 

"It's fine. She's cute," responded Ayla, much to Lizzie's relief. A rosy color took over Elizabeth's face beautifully mingling with strands of blond hair and Saphire eyes. 

 

Thoughts: Okay, I have to admit. They are crazy cute together!

 

"Hello?" a British accent crosses the threshold bursting into Josie's ears. 

 

"Yeah, come in, Sebastian."

 

"How did you know it was me?"

 

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Thoughts: The accent, You dumbass!!

 

"It's your voice", explains Ayla coming to the rescue of Josie. "It has a certain - je ne sais quoi! "

 

Josie giggled. "Indeed."

 

"Oh, thanks. By the way, the girls are also waiting outside."

 

"Hey, hey" shouted Maya before barging inside with Jade and Hope trailing behind her.

 

Hope had a dark and dull look that was thrown around on everybody EXCEPT Josie.

 

It was as if she was trying to imagine her wholly gone, and it hurt. 

 

"Hey again, Jo", added Jade. "And Elizabeth."

 

Hope didn't even bother saying hi or acknowledging anyone, for that matter.

 

Thoughts: Why is Hope glaring at Jade so much? 

 

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"Lizzie, can I talk to you for a sec?"

 

"Yeah, sure. Sorry guys, make yourself at home while I speak to my sister in my office, and by my office, I mean the bathroom."

 

 

@ the Bathroom:

 

"What's going on?"

 

"I need your help."

 

"What is it?"

 

"So. Jade asked me out..."

 

"And?"

 

"I accidentally said yes."

 

"How does someone accidentally say yes to a date exactly?"

 

"It's easier than you think. I didn't exactly say yes, but I also didn't say no."

 

"Oh..... makes sense."

 

"What?"

 

"That's why Hope is scowling like a wounded animal with a casted hand. Jade must have told her."

 

"You think so?"

 

"I mean, yeah. They're friends."

 

"Oh, shit."

 

"You fucked up big time. I mean, you have balls, but you fucked up."

 

"What am I supposed to do now?"

 

"How about you try to throw some moves on Hope ... hold her hand in the dark and so on?"

 

"I kind of asked her to keep us a secret..."

 

"Ouch... If I were Hope, I would be irked out of my skin right about now."

 

"This is really not helping." 

 

"Look regardless, my suggestion still works."

 

"You want me to seduce her?"

 

"Yup, seduce her to death... Until she surrenders and forgets her self-worth."

 

Thoughts: Well, at this point, I have nothing to lose. It is so crazy that it might actually work. 

 

 

When Josie and Lizzie go in again, everyone is already seated. 

 

Ayla and Sebastian were seated on Lizzie's bed, the plate of cookies between them as if saving the seat for Lizzie.

 

Maya was seated on a bean bag next to Hope. And both Hope and Jade were seated on the bed. Another chair was also placed next to Jade. 

 

Maya was whispering something in Hope's ear as Josie was walking towards the empty chair. 

 

Thoughts: I'm gonna kill this bitch. 

 

"Hey, Jade", shouted Lizzie. "You're really gonna let my sister sit on the chair? Is chivalry really dead?"

 

Jade coughed before responding high-pitched, "No, of course not. Here, sit on the bed next to Hope." 

 

Elizabeth was giggling loudly as she sat between her fans and hugged the plate of cookies on all sides, making sure no one approaches it without her approval. 

 

Josie sat on the bed, making a point to touch Hope's thigh and arm with her own.

 

The bed was spacious enough, but Josie was adamant on breaking Hope's shields. Hope flinched but kept her body in its place much to Josie's relief.

 

Josie was relishing in contact when Maya suddenly used her index finger to slowly turn Hope's head on her side. She then murmured something that made Hope giggle. 

 

Thoughts: Oh, it's so on like a Megatron! 

 

"Okay, people, so I picked the movie already. You're welcome," shouted Lizzie in pride. 

 

Jade and Josie chuckled, and Hope winced at the sound, moving her body further away from Josie. 

 

Thoughts: Okay, I need to focus.

 

The lights were out, the movie was on, and everyone was watching. Well, almost everyone. Josie was freaking out. 

 

Thoughts: Should I try to hold her hand? Yes. Yes. That would be a good start.

 

Josie's hand started its journey towards mikealson limbs trailing delicate fingers and electrifying connections. 

 

"Jo, can you give me some popcorn?" interjected Jade.

 

"Uhm... Yeah, sure."

 

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Josie's hand retracted and changed its course hunting the popcorn bag when it came to a halt with entangling fingers. 

 

"Oh, sorry, Hope. Can I have some popcorn?"

 

"Yeah, sure." 

 

Hope hands Josie, the popcorn bag, and Josie's hand already misses the contact, but Josie decides to try something else. 

 

Waiting for everyone's focus to go back to the movie, Josie gathers the courage to place her hand on Hope's thigh. 

 

Hope looks surprised at first but doesn't interfere with Josie's plans as she patiently watches Josie's hand and follows its movements.

 

Fingers trailing light patterns across bare skin where shorts had ridden up start rushing as if wanting to cross every naked part of Hope's leg.

 

Josie flushes, almost relieved her movements weren't brought to a halt and tries to detach her eyes from Hope's exposed skin.

 

Sweat glistens from her scalp, and it starts getting harder to breath as she senses her body craving Hope's graze.

 

Thoughts of the hospital kiss burst into her memory, and Josie isn't even looking at the movie anymore, her eyes chasing wild red lips instead.

 

Her phone flickers, and she is almost tempted not to answer, but a name she so desperately craves beams on the screen...

 

HOPEY <3 --->  I'm not a toy. Can you stop sending me mixed signals?

 

Josie takes a deep breath to steady herself and instantly withdraws her hand, feeling uneasy. 

 

She forces herself to watch the movie again, her heart feeling heavier than ever... 

 

Thoughts: She's right. I shouldn't have done this. I will just talk to her later. 

 

The movie isn't bad; it's a rom-com, of course, so everyone is giggling and Elizabeth is proud of her achievement. "You're welcome, everyone. Don't move; I'm putting on the second one!"

 

Everyone nodded and got back to their previously assigned seats, which meant that Josie was still seated next to a very angry Hope. 

 

Elizabeth was putting the movie on when the TV suddenly turned off. "Uhm, guys, we have a problem... Our TV just died."

 

"Did you check the cable?" asks an annoyed Hope.

 

"Let me turn on the light," says Jade.

 

"What's taking so long."

 

"I think the lights are out."

 

"Like an electrical problem?"

 

"This is weird."

 

Josie moved to stand up when a strangled scream shattered the air and made the grounds shake uncontrollably.

 

An impregnable fear took over the room, and Josie's body started trembling until she fell abruptly backwards hitting a warm body. Hope suddenly flipped them, and Josie saw Hope's back in front of her shielding her from the unknown as she heard comforting words and felt a hand take her own. 

 

"You're fine. We're fine. Stay behind me!"

 

 

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Chapter 35: We will find whoever did this...

Chapter Text

Lizzie & Josie's room:

 

"Do you have anything that we can defend ourselves with?" breathed Hope in Josie's ear. 

 

Josie nodded. "There's a bat under my bed".

 

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Hope's relief was short-lived as she remembered that she could only use one hand. 

 

"Lizzie, look under the bed", whispered Hope.

 

Hope thought she would lower her voice in case someone was outside their room, but Elizabeth wasn't known for her subtlety, so Hope's intentions were lost in translation. 

 

"Did you hit your head or something? I can't see anything," croaked Lizzie, still on the bed, too shocked to move. 

 

"Give it a few seconds", blurted Josie "your eyes will adjust to the dark." 

 

"There's a bat under the bed" Hope's brow tightened. "Hand it over, Liz."

 

For the first time in a long time, and thankfully for Hope, Elizabeth didn't argue. She slowly bent down, slid her arm under the bed and wrapped her hand around the smooth wooden piece.

 

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"Just slide it to the other side", said Hope trying to bend over with one hand in a cast and the other glued to Josie's palm. "Thanks". 

 

Thoughts: Let's see what the fuck is happening downstairs. 

 

Hope felt Josie's body shudder and jerk as she slowly started to walk in the direction of the door. Josie's hand tried to pull Hope back by her shirt, back to her rightful place cemented at Josie's side, pressed together, side by side. But much to her own dismay, Hope needed to go see what the hell was going on. 

 

"Stay here, everyone; I'm coming back," muttered Hope looking straight at Josie's shadowy figure. 

 

"Going alone is not smart", retorted Ayla.

 

"I'm just going to check what's going on. I will come straight back. I promise. But If I'm not back in 5 min barricade the door Lemmens."

 

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Stairs & First Floor:

Marble-Staircase

 

 

Hope left before anyone could stop her from going.

 

She was determined to face this alone, although, truth be told, she was wondering how she was going to get down those stairs with everything so pitch black… That was until someone cleared their throat behind her. 

 

Hope jumped, nearly dropping the bat. 

 

"Great reflexes. Thank god you're here to save us."

 

"I got startled. That's all." Hope's fingers strummed against the bat, feigning ignorance in virtue of her cherished Mikealson arrogance. 

 

"I thought you could use some light." Josie was smiling "besides, I wasn't really going to let you go alone." 

 

"Jo… I asked you to stay put."

 

"Well, unlike a certain someone here… I'm not so good at following orders," responded Josie, a fierce look on her face, a light tone in her voice, winking at Hope to relieve the prevalent anxiety.

 

Needless to say that the wink was swallowed in the gloomy dark. 

 

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"I…"  Hope was thanking the stars that Josie's torch was directed to the stairs because her face was fuming. "Come on. Let's go. Stay behind me," uttered Hope before letting beats of silence roam free around them. 

 

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Hope and Josie slowly marched down the stairs towards the origin of the shriek. 

 

"It sounded like it came from here."

 

"You mean at the entrance?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"I'm scared, Hope."

 

"If you see anyone, I want you to run Jo. And don't stop. Got it?"

 

"Forget it."

 

"I'm not going to repeat myself, love. You don't want to piss me off right now."

 

Josie seemed startled by Hope's tone and nodded in complete silence. 

 

Hope tightened her hand around the bat making sure her grip was calcified. Whoever was out there was going to get the beating of their life if they dared lay a finger on Jo.

 

Even with one hand out of commission, no one was getting near her Jo tonight.

 

If there was one thing the intruder was getting tonight, it was a glimpse of how territorial Mikealsons can get. 

 

Every step was a hellish gateway leading them to an infernal apogee and on some level, Hope knew that.

 

She wasn't prepared though for what she saw next.

 

A trail of blood was carving up the floor. Bloody chaotic lines were drenching the ground beneath their feet and a sinister laugh was echoing in the darkness.

 

Hope's courage was buried in hesitation but the blood-stained pavement was calling for them to keep going.

 

Hope feared for her life. She feared for her friends' lives. But above all, she feared for Josie's life.

 

It was her fault after all. She had dragged Josie here. She had to be the hero, daring to slay the big bad wolf.

 

And now that wolf was coming for them: It was also and particularly coming for Jo. And she was to blame. 

 

"Go back and alert everyone. Make sure they block the door. Make sure you're all safe. Go." Hope was growling, her slicing words digging holes in Josie's skin. 

 

Josie felt that all but stood her ground. 

 

"Lizzie needs you. Go. I'll be careful. I promise." Hope's voice was gentler this time-round.

 

She was trying to stroke Josie's concerns, trying to convince her that this was the best action plan. 

 

Josie's eyes drifted to the top of the stairs chasing thoughts of her sister, her friends, and even her mom.

 

Although these thoughts were heart-wrenching, none of them were strong enough to detach her from her current reality.

 

Danger was close, and she wasn't ready to lose anyone else; especially Hope.

 

She wasn't ready to lose a love so naked and bare.

 

A love that hadn't consumed all of her yet wouldn't be enough solace.

 

Soaked in thoughts of resistance, Josie's attention was quickly shifted towards the entrance of the school as steps were resonating in the halls.

 

Josie sensing the danger, suddenly reached for Hope and grabbed her by the back of her jacket, refusing to let her go.

 

Hope felt an unsettling and crippling fear, absorbing the approaching steps.

 

She positioned the bat in front of her shoulder, ready to swing with all her might.

 

Her heart was beating fast, a speed that was doubling by the second and a rhythm that was getting louder and louder. Almost as loud as the stride of death threatening to wipe their existence.

 

A black robe approached like lightening and Hope's eyes barely registered what was happening until it was too late.

 

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"Watch out" screamed Josie at the top of her lungs as an axe dangled left and right missing Hope's limbs by a microscopic thread.

 

Hope quickly evaded blow after blow, using her strength to elevate and bend her body to her will. 

 

Josie was surprised to see another intruder hiding in the shadows. He was just lurking there, looking at the entrance, following the trail of bloody red stains marking the floor.

 

He had one hand pointing at a limp body, a body Josie barely recognized, a body floating in a sea of blood.

 

The second hand was placed on his face, his finger vertically over his lips. 

 

Josie didn't have time for riddles; she looked around for anything she could use and quickly grabbed a vase to throw it at the attacker.

 

The vase shattered into a million pieces and surprised the masked intruder. He faltered for a second, turned his back, slightly disoriented and was surprised by a strong strike on his knees pushing his rigid body to plummet down. 

 

Josie pulled Hope by the hand and started sprinting back up. Hope almost lost her balance but managed to free her casted hand and use it for support.

 

It hurt like hell. But they were both still alive. Josie reached the nearest room and threw Hope's body inside before closing the door and leaning her back against it.

 

Hope then used her legs, limbs which were shaking uncontrollably, to move a large wooden closet blocking the door. The closet was huge. But it was no match for the adrenaline that was pumping in the auburn-haired girl's veins. 

 

Josie slammed into Hope, tears plunging down her face, unable to restrain herself anymore, and Hope held on tight. She held on for dear life, absorbing Josie's shock, her fear and the horror they had just witnessed and lived through.

 

"Hey. Hey. We will survive this. We always do."

 

"We need to call the police."

 

"There's no cell reception. Tried that already" irritated words were spoken as Alyssa rolled her eyes and tossed a towel towards Hope "But thanks for the pornographic show. Next time I prefer a boss and secretary scenario, though."

 

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"Alyssa?"

 

"You should wipe your face; you're sweating all over my carpet."

 

"Uhm. Sure. Thanks."

 

"Sorry for barging in like that. There's..."

 

"Yeah. I heard the screaming."

 

"Why was your door unlocked?" asked Hope, staring at Alyssa, brow furrowed.

 

"My bathroom door was. I thought that a locked door would entice the sicko that's out there... So I kept it open and hid in the bathroom."

 

"Oh..."

 

"And then I heard, well, double-moaning I guess and a nagging voice. Let's just say I recognized the Saltzman genes." 

 

"Okay, okay. We get it. You're funny" Josie let her head fall back against the closet "What are we going to do? There was so much blood. Someone is hurt. And there are two intruders."

 

"There's two of them?" The words made Hope's chest constrict "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. And someone's injured? Great."

 

"And I'm stuck with Bonnie and Clyde" Alyssa lifted her palm to her forehead and rested her head on her hand, sucking in her breath.

 

"Well, like it or not, we're in this together, and we need to find a way to notify the police" explained Josie in a neutral tone "Can I open the window?"

 

"Sure, and let down your hair Rapunzel. Maybe the intruder needs some help to get in and kill us." Alyssa was shaking her head in disapproval "We're so screwed."

 

Hope looked out the window before opening one side. She watched straight ahead as a few students were running towards an open gate chased by shadows.  Hope tried to get their attention, moving her hands left and right. She even thought about screaming: but didn't want to draw the intruders' attention. 

 

Josie felt powerless. She saw no way out of this. Well, no logical way, at least. She couldn't believe she was about to do this, but the words were uttered anyway "Pan. I need your help."

 

 

Lizzie & Josie's room:

 

Ayla and Sebastian were trying hard to restrain Elizabeth.

 

"I need to find them. You heard the screams... Something is wrong."

 

"Okay. You're right. We need to do something" Ayla tightened her grip on Lizzie's wrist "Leave it to me." 

 

"You're crazy, Lemmens. This is a losing chess game, and your only offering another pawn," answered Maya ironically "We're not equipped for this. It's not a kid's spy movie."

 

" Look, I'm a black belt. If anyone is built for this. It's me."

 

Elizabeth's eyes were silently fighting Ayla's determination when the door knob started turning violently. 

 

Ayla threw her body in front of Elizabeth and Sebastian, reaching for a wooden chair. Maya and Jade chose weapons of convenience, a lamp and a glass bottle. If they were going down. They wouldn't go down gently.

 

Everyone was holding their breath. The knob stopped turning for just a few seconds.

 

Relief was short-lived, though, as whoever was out there started kicking the door.

 

Screams erupted, and the door flew open to a gun and ...

 

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"Damon?"

 

"It's detective Damon to you lot."

 

"How did you..?"

 

"We got an anonymous tip and I happened to be in the neighbourhood."

 

"Oh yeah. Miss Benett lives around here."

 

"Shut it blondy. Now everyone out. To the cafeteria. Come on."

 

"My sister..."

 

"She's safe. Everyone is already there. Now scram. I need to search the rooms."

 

 

Cafeteria:

 

"Are you both okay?" Caroline heralded her daughter's arrival with a gentle gaze that melted into a concerned look when they threw themselves at her. 

 

"Yes. We're okay, Mom."

 

"That was very stupid. Both of you were stupid. How could you let your sister play the hero like that? And you, what the hell were you thinking? I reckon you weren't, actually. You are both teenagers. This is not one of your freeking Marbel movies."

 

"It's Marvel, mom." 

 

"Bravo, Lizzie. Way to focus on the useless part of my lesson" Caroline leaned her forehead on her daughter's head, feeling the light brush of their limbs and thanking god that both of her daughters were still okay "You were reckless, thoughtless and selfish... I'm so mad at you both. But... I'm glad you're okay." Caroline's soul passed through a panorama of emotions, concern, disappointment, and anger but also relief. 

 

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"Mom, there were two intruders", retorted Josie "And ..."

 

"I know, honey."

 

"No, you don't. There was someone lying in blood. Someone got hurt..."

 

"I know."

 

"Who?"

 

"Not now."

 

"Who got hurt, mom?"

 

"Not now, Baby. I can't."

 

"Where's Stefan?"

 

"Stefan is fine. He's talking to the paramedics."

 

"EVERYONE SEATED NOW" Damon was adamant on running this show "Which of you dumbasses opened the school gate?"

 

"Language, Damon."

 

"I don't think these hooligans deserve respect. I'm going to repeat my question one more time: who let the intruders in? Even if you don't confess, the cameras will tell us all we need to know. I'm just giving you a chance to confess before you're caught."

 

Caroline spun around to face Damon "My students would never do something like that".

 

"Actually..." interrupted Ayla "One of us did."

 

"There we go... A confession perhaps, Miss..?"

 

"It's Ayla, detective. And it isn't me. It's him."

 

Ayla pointed at Raphael, resolve in her posture and discernment lacing her voice "When the headmistress said it's not us, he felt relief. His body slummed and he had a smile on his face."

 

"You're crazy. She's one of Mikealson's friends. She's just trying to get even," responded Rafael.

 

"No, I'm not. You breathed out when you heard her defending us. You let the breath you've been holding out."

 

"Gee, thanks, Nancy drew" mocked Damon "Now, on to serious matters. was it you, loverboy?" Damon was slowly approaching Raphael threatening him with dark eyes "Was it your stupid ass that let the intruders in?"

 

"No."

 

"Raph.." Josie slide in front of the detective "I know you. You wouldn't do this..."

 

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"I..."

 

"Did you do this?"

 

"Look..."

 

"Someone got hurt, Raph. If you know something. Please tell me." Josie was trying her best to put on a brave face. 

 

"It wasn't my fault. He told me he knew where Landon was ... And..."

 

"You thought you'd take the law into your own hands, tough guy?" 

 

"No. I let him in. He had a duffle bag. Told me he had some documents to show me and then got an axe out of there. I just started running... I'm sorry, but what would you have done in my place?"

 

"I wouldn't have let a mad masked man in my school in the first place", announced Damon, irony fueling his words "You, come with me now. Everyone else, behave."

 

Damon pulled Raphael away from the angry crowd.

 

"What do you want from me?"

 

"Hey, stop barking. I'm doing you a favour by getting you away from the pack of wolves. All of your friends would have eaten you alive." 

 

"So what. I should thank you?"

 

"Don't act smart. A man is dead because of you. So if I were you, I would behave."

 

"I.. Fine."

 

"Oh god, please tell me you're not gonna stutter all night long. Listen, hotshot, if you're gonna be bad, be bad with purpose. Otherwise, you're not worth forgiving."

 

"I just wanted to save him."

 

"How did you get the keys?"

 

"The guys and me had copies of the keys made a long time ago..."

 

"For what exactly?"

 

"it doesn't matter."

 

"Speak now," threatened Damon, his hand tightening on Raphael's shoulder.

 

"Aw, man.... You're hurting me. We would sneak out to buy weed. That's it."

 

"How did you convince the security guard to leave?"

 

"I told him I saw someone suspicious roaming around by the back gate... And he bought it."

 

"What can you tell me about the guy?"

 

"I didn't have the time to notice anything. I was running..."

 

"How courageous..."

 

"Okay... Okay. I noticed some sort of map in his bag."

 

"Map? Yeah, okay, Captain Sparrow. Cut the jokes."

 

"I'm serious."

 

Cafeteria - Dining Table:

 

"I can't believe you guys are alive."

 

"You sound disappointed", Joked Hope bumping Lizzie's shoulders.

 

"She probably just wanted a piece of the action..." retorted Josie whilst winking at her sister. 

 

"You literally fought with a flowerpot, sister. Not my definition of action. You basically flowered him to death..."

 

"I'm glad you're safe too, sis". Josie rolled her eyes at her sister's antics "Besides, it seems you had a black belt protecting you. So not much action here either."

 

"Actually, we would have caught the guy, me and Ayla. Brains and beauty on one side and muscles on the other," stated Lizzie with pride...

 

"Euth... thanks, I guess..." mouthed Ayla "I don't think I could have done much against an axe, though."

 

"Hey, what about me?" asked Sebastian.

 

"You have a nice behind" explained Lizzie "I wouldn't mind dying with a nice view in sight." 

 

"Oh my god Lizzie" Josie had a sickening feeling that her sister was going to keep making things worse, so she opted to spin the conversation elsewhere "Do we know who was hurt?"

 

Hope's hand covered her own under the table as if feeling Josie's concern slipping to its highest point. Josie sighed, guiding her other hand to Hope's thigh.

 

She needed to feel her, anywhere, everywhere.

 

"I think Mom is planning an announcement of some sort" Lizzie cut the conversation short "News that's for money today will be for free tomorrow."

 

"Miss Bennett and Miss Tig are here" interjected Jade, her voice lower than intended "That's not good".

 

"How come?" asked Maya.

 

"Do we need to spell it out for you?" Josie didn't have the patience to humour Maya right now. 

 

"They're concerned about our mental health... So the news can't be good," added Hope for clarification.  

 

Attention Everyone! Please gather around. I want to talk to you all...

 

I want to thank you all for your bravery....Those of you who did the smart thing and hid in their rooms...

 

We're gonna let your parents know.... The school will be temporarily closed ... S

 

ome of you will be flown home ... Others will be joined here by their parents... Whatever you need....

 

Finally, I want to let you know.....And I'm sorry for that... We lost someone dear to us all...

 

And a funeral will be organized ... He will be honored as the hero he was ... I'm sorry everyone. ...

 

I promise you , And I know I shouldn't, But I promise you we will find whoever did this ...

 

Mat Donovan died a hero... Protecting our school .... His death will not be in vain...

 

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Chapter 36: It's you. I want all of you.

Chapter Text

Hope's POV:

 

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Hope was lying on her bed, progressively revisiting everything that had happened so far, dwelling in her own misery. She didn't have to reassess all of these horrendous events per se, but it seemed that, not unlike her family, she just loved bathing in the past.

 

Mikealsons had a tendency to do that. They tended to reminisce and often felt nostalgic every chance they got, sometimes even preferring it to events of the present.

 

Hope wasn't doing it for the pleasure of it, though.

 

Hope was trying to figure out how all these elements of the past were connected. She was trying to link and unlink all of these events to see where the red thread lies, mysterious and dormant but dangerous and treacherous: a diabolical cord lying in wait, concealed and patient, preparing to attack its victims unexpectedly and suffocate them.

 

Something wasn't right. Hope's senses were on high alert. She was shuffling all the pieces of the puzzle when 10 hysterical knocks broke the surrounding silence. Hope jumped on her feet and went to open the door. 

 

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"What the hell do you want, Lizzie?"

 

"When someone knocks, you answer," croaked Lizzie, attempting to show the disgust she felt about being blown off like this. 

 

Thoughts: The nerve on this one!

 

"When someone doesn't answer, you leave", retorted bluntly the auburn-haired girl. 

 

"I thought you didn't hear me".

 

"I heard you the first 10 times." 

 

"And yet you left your beautiful sister-in-law outside in the freezing cold" responded Lizzie, a fierce look on her face, her head tilted slightly upwards, acting like a damsel in distress. 

 

Thoughts: What a flare for the dramatics... 

 

"Lizzie, we're not in the middle of a blizzard, and this is not Frozen 2" Hope was clearly getting annoyed by the theatrics but ultimately decided to bite her tongue and refrain from shutting the door in her girlfriend's sister's face. 

 

Thoughts: Of all the sisters in the world. It had to be Lizzie.

 

"Odd that you answered the second part but not the sister-in-law part. Aha... Busted!" screamed Lizzie scaring the crap out of Hope. "Anyway, I need a favour".

 

"Of course you do", nodded Hope before rolling her eyes for the tenth time today.

 

Her third finger was itching to go up and make her intentions crystal clear. 

 

"Look, it's an emergency, or I wouldn't be here", explained Lizzie, raising her eyebrows for further emphasis on the matter. 

 

"Your love for me warms my heart."

 

"She needs help. You need to go see her."

 

"Who, pray tell, needs my help?" asked Hope, staring at Lizzie, brow furrowed.

 

"You forgot your one true love already? Wow, this is some deep Cinderella story."

 

"Get on with it", blurted Hope.

 

"My sister, the grim reaper, she's been sulking for 2 weeks. And trust me, I get that Matt's death was hard on her and Raph's involvement was the nail in the coffin, but it's been two fucking weeks."

 

"Lizzie, she asked me for space. I get that you're worried, but I can't go see her". Hope's brow tightened, and her tongue was burning a hole in her mouth.

 

She wanted to defend Josie, but this was her sister, for god's sake. 

 

"Space can mean different things to different people. Half of the time when I say it, I don't actually mean it," says the blond, her voice rough around the edges.

 

"Oh, she meant it. Look, I know her well. You didn't see her after Mr Donovan's death. She completely shut down. And I wanted to make it better, but she said she needed space. And I respect her too much for me not to give her that. I owe her that much. We all do. if it's time she needs then so be it. It's a cheap price to pay, and I'll wait." 

 

"Oh, wow, you're giving me goosebumps. I'm gonna barf," retorted Lizzie, her voice dripping with irony.

 

Hope rolled her eyes yet again like clockwork.

 

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"Nice talking to you as always, Anything else I can do for you Liz?"

 

"I get that you're being all Captain America / Mother Theresa respecting her wishes above all else and such, but this is serious. She has been lying in bed for the past 2 weeks. Not doing anything at all. Not answering. Not even blinking. She keeps reading that damn fucking book. Did I mention that this book has no words in it?? It's white, blank, NADAAA. She stinks so bad that our room feels like a morgue. We've attracted new species of insects. I'm talking about elegant new species of necrophiliac insects," interrupts Lizzie in disgust.

 

"You're exaggerating."

 

"I am so not. I wanna be a doctor, not a medical examiner. Can you please pass by to identify the body? I'm serious. I even have an idea to make it sound casual" says Lizzie suggestively, winking at her soon-to-be sister-in-law. 

 

"Of course, you do", pointed out Hope in complete despair. 

 

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"Here you go. You can say she left it here." Lizzie's face definitely held no good intentions, and Hope could read that all over that mischievous smile. 

 

Hope's eyes blew shut, suddenly trying to forget the images ahead. Lizzie had handed her actual panties. FUCKING Underwear. Not ANY UNDERWEAR. NO. Satin undergarments.

 

"Lizzie, what the fuck... We've never ... I mean... Not that I wouldn't want to ... But... No...No...Take it... Absolutely not."

 

Hope's brain was going into overdrive, her face flaming hot, her ears throwing steam out, and a gigantic smile overshadowing every other facial feature. 

 

"Oh, get your mind out of the gutter, Mikealson. It was the only thing that could fit in my pocket," snarls Lizzie, her voice soaking in disgust. 

 

"Realy?? How about a pen or a hairpin or, oh, I don't know, a sock, perhaps? Put that back, Elizabeth, NOW," says Hope feigning shock and disappointment. 

 

Thoughts: Who Am I kidding?  This is Lizzie. She's never disappointing. She always finds a way to make things worse... 

 

Lizzie started drifting away from the door, and Hope's eyes were slowly expanding. 

 

"Too late. I think my mom is looking for me. Gotta go." squeals Lizzie, her voice slightly breaking. 

 

"Don't you dare!" scolds Hope. 

 

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"I can't hear you in this blizzard Elsa. Too much... Snow... Too... much... Interference. Gotta find shelter..." 

 

"I hate you."

 

"Goodbye, Sister-in-law."

 

"Did I mention I hate you?"

 

"Well, I'm not the one holding another girl's underwear in the hallway... You should be ashamed," smirked Lizzie before chuckling like a cute villain "MUHAHAHA". 

 

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Hope quickly shoved the panties in her pocket and retraced her steps going back inside her room and closing the door behind her. A hellish shade of red was slowly navigating on her face, from the edge of her ears to her nose, her cheekbones, her forehead, her gentle chin, slowly travelling down to her neck.

 

Hope was trying to calm herself down, but her digits kept touching the satin underwear, imagining how it would feel to peel them off and get a taste underneath... a little taste of heaven... 

 

Thoughts: No... No... Bad Hope. I can't fantasize about stolen panties. I need to bring these back... Maybe I can casually drop in and throw them in their bathroom or something. I'm definitely not telling her I found them. She's gonna think I'm a complete pervert. I'm gonna kill Lizzie. 

 

 

Lizzie and Josie's room:

 

"That was quick", whispered a triumphant Lizzie before raising her voice suddenly to purposely shout, feigning shock "Hope! Oh hello... Surprised to see you here. What brings you by?" 

 

heretic-lizzie-lizzie-saltzman

 

"Oh... I just wanted to see how Jo was doing. Is she here?" asked Hope in panic.

 

"Of course she is. You see, my sister has been tied to her bed for the past 2 weeks. You can follow the breadcrumbs to find her," announced Lizzie, irony fueling her words.

 

"Very funny, Elizabeth".

 

"Oh, my. Using my full name. I'm so scared. Shaking baby sis..."

 

"Fuck off", muttered Josie trying to cut the conversation short.

 

"Can I come in?" asked Hope, her voice laced with concern.

 

"Sure. Visiting hours are open now. Go ahead. Just beware, she might bite your head off," declared Lizzie in a high voice, purposefully. The blond even used her hands to mimic a megaphone announcing "le plat du jour" at a gigantic restaurant. Hope was trying to ignore the fact that her head was apparently the main dish.

 

Hope looked at Josie, and boy, was that a nice view. Josie was in her PJs, lying on her bed, her legs bare, her hair flowing on every inch of the pillow, and her eyes glowing in a warm brown. Oh, how she missed this, How she missed her.

 

"Can we talk?" asked Hope hesitantly.

 

"Yeah, sure. What do you need?" answered Josie, confidence seeping out of her voice.

 

Thoughts: The separation was clearly not bothering her as much as it did for Hope.

 

josie-saltzman

 

"Oh well... I just wanted to see you and..." Hope tried to find the right words to say, the right way to explain how much she missed Josie, how much she worried but the words were running away in the nick of time. 

 

"Oh, what's this in your pocket? Is this a gift? Or are you just happy to see me?" Lizzie, attempting to save the day, decided to sacrifice Hope for the greater good. 

 

Screenshot-2023-04-01-at-01-24-32

 

Thoughts: NO, NO, NO. This can't be happening.

 

Hope wanted to murder Lizzie Saltzman. She wanted to murder her, revive her and murder her again. Lizzie was throwing her under the bus like some useless replaceable doll. WTF is wrong with his woman? Does she not know loyalty?

 

"It's nothing," screamed Hope, a little louder than she should have.

 

"Are you sure? I can see a pink satin ... scarf?? Did you bring Jo a gift?" wondered Lizzie inquisitively "Show me".

 

"Lizzie, let it go... And for god's sake, remove your hands from my pocket."

 

But Hope knew that Lizzie wasn't listening. Lizzie never listened. She liked to follow the beat of her own drums. And her drums were really thrilled right about now and felt like blowing some shit up.

 

Hope wished the ground would swallow her whole as she saw Lizzie get the panties out of her pocket and lift them high up, waving them like a white flag. A pink flag, to be precise.

 

"Oh, Hopyy... This is awkward."

 

"Hope, why...? Why do you have these?" mumbled Josie indistinctly.

 

"It's not what you think..." muttered Hope before blushing profusely. 

 

"Why do you have panties in your pocket?" repeated Josie, higher this time around.

 

"It's not. I mean. They're not mine."

 

"Oh you're just walking around with another girl's undergarment?"

 

"No, it's not for another girl."

 

"So let me get this straight. it's not yours, and it's not the panties of someone else. Then who do they belong to?"

 

"They're yours, okay?? I ..." screamed Hope at the top of her lungs, hiding her eyes behind sweaty palms.

 

"You stole them?? OH, God, Hope. You should be ashamed," intervened Elizabeth throwing fuel on the fire. She was understandably enjoying this.

 

"No... No... I found them." Hope's thoughts were jumbled, and she was one step away from rebooting completely.

 

"I think I would know if these were my panties."

 

"But... But... But..."

 

Lizzie's laugh took the place by storm.

 

"Hope, baby. Breathe. These are not mine." stated Josie trying to refresh her girlfriend's fried brain.

 

"What do you mean these are not yours? Lizzie said..." Hope was in a deep state of confusion. 

 

"You psychopath!!! Did you give her these panties??" scolded Josie throwing murderous looks at her sneaky sister.

 

"Well, I couldn't give her your Mulan panties... Now could I? Talk about embarrassing... Parading with a Disney princess on your ass."

 

"So you gave her mom's underwear... Are you crazy??"

 

"These... Are these for your mom???" Hope was caught between a rock and a hard place.

 

Hope dropped the burning satin panties on the floor, sweating and swearing...

 

"WTF. You can't be serious right now. Did you give her mom's panties as an excuse to come here? So what? So i WOULD GO OUT and you could get some alone time in our room? What kind of half-baked plan is that? And What kind of mental hospital lets you out? OMG, Lizzie. Why can't you just leave me in peace?"

 

"Maybe I should pass by another time." Hope needed to leave this hellhole right now. Her heart couldn't take any more shame.

 

"You; sit down. I will deal with you later"

 

Hope was clearly getting reprimanded for Lizzie's idiotic plan. And honestly, it was her fault for joining forces with her in the first place, and she knew it. So she decided to save face, and did as she was told.

 

"Lizzie, mark my words. You will regret this."

 

Hope was truly shocked to her core witnessing everything unfold.

 

Her sweet, gentle innocent Josie suddenly took on the form of a vicious ninja and pounced on Lizzie with all her might, shoving her on the bed and pinning her hands down.

 

Hope would be lying if she said that she wasn't slightly turned on by this. But truth be told, she wished that it was her that was getting pinned by Josie. Or maybe a less angry and more horny version of Josie.

 

"I'm sorry. Get off. Please. I said I'm Sorry."

 

"I can't hear you", barked Josie feigning ignorance. 

 

"I am sorry. Now please let me go," nagged Lizzie looking at her sister wide-eyed and mouth agape. 

 

"Say it like you mean it" uttered a menacing Josie. 

 

"I meant it. You're hurting me. Get off, Jo." 

 

"I asked you for one damn thing. Both of you. I wanted space. Why can't you get that in your thick skull?"

 

"We get it. But I am your sister. I worry about you. Why can't you get that?"

 

Josie's knuckles recovered their original colour as she slowly regained consciousness and started pulling herself up and away from her sister's body.

 

"Sorry", murmured Josie under her breath. 

 

"That really hurt", grumbled Lizzie, unimpressed by this vain attempt to teach her a lesson "And you didn't actually convince me of anything."

 

"I know"

 

"Then why would you fucking do that, JOHN CENA???"

 

"You make me so mad. You ask and ask and ask. You take and take and take. One thing Lizzie. I asked you for one damn thing," complained the brunette, mourning whatever chance there was to stop this mess. 

 

"You gave me no choice. I had to do something. You're always here. Always letting life pass you by. Look at this gorgeous idiot waiting for you while you ignore her and everyone around you to just sulk..."

 

Thoughts: Did she just say I was gorgeous? Yes, good job focusing on what's important. I need to step in... But the Saltzman twins are kind of scary when they fight. 

 

"It's been two weeks. Give me a break, Lizzie."

 

Screenshot-2023-04-01-at-01-22-12

 

"You haven't been to class, you aren't going to practice... You didn't even join us for the voluntary search yesterday. A search for your BEST FRIEND, BTW. Remember him??"

 

"Of course I do. It's all I think about. It's not... I mean... It's just what I need right now. I can't go down that rabbit hole. I need time," stammered Josie as if talking to herself. She was obviously hurting, even if she was trying not to show it.

 

"Time for what? You don't cry, you don't meditate, you don't sleep... All you do is stare at that stupid empty book. Do you think I don't hear you at night mumbling??? Do you think I don't see glimpses of you holding it all night... You're becoming a psycho."

 

"So what?"

 

"You're acting crazy and obsessive," repeated Lizzie, over-pronouncing every letter as if to emphasize the obvious nature of the announcement.

 

"Yeah, and you'd be a great judge on that. It takes one to know one," said Josie bitterly.

 

"Low blow, sissy. Wanna play dirty? Fine, let's play dirty. Say goodbye to your new small pen pal."

 

"Put it down, Elizabeth Saltzman".

 

"Oh, it's going down alright. Right from the balcony. Oh, look at these beautiful white pages... Too bad...For you."

 

"Don't you dare! I will scratch your eyes out," uttered Josie indignantly.

 

"Oh... okay. I was planning on changing my mind, but you just made it for me. Off you go, then". Lizzie took her time to spell out the words hoping to make a point of showing Josie her HUGE ERROR.

 

What Lizzie was planning was quite deliberate, and she was sure as hell not backing down now.

 

Hope saw Lizzie throw the book with all her might and hoped its landing in the world down under would be deadly.

 

"What have you done???? You are nuts. I can't believe how crazy you are."

 

"Whatever, I'm out of here. She's your problem now," spit Lizzie out, signalling the end of her reign and inviting Hope to join the fight.

 

"Hey, calm down", interjected Hope. 

 

"I will murder her in her sleep", announced Josie in a clear-cut, decided tone.

 

"Jo. What's happening to you? She's just worried about you. We all are. You're acting weird, and you're being aggressive... That's so not like you." Hope was taken aback by this version of Josie.

 

She liked every part of her, even this one ... But she didn't know how to act around her now. She didn't know how to deal with this. She didn't know how to make things better. 

 

"I... You've known me for literally one day Hope. Don't act like we're married all of a sudden," insisted Josie, tired of everyone overanalyzing her need for space.  

 

"I... That's not what I'm trying to do." Hope understood that Josie was hurting. She understood that she was just lashing out, but words still hurt even when one knew they weren't intentional. 

 

Hope took a chance and caught Josie's hand in hers, hoping for her emotions to go through that touch. 

 

Screenshot-2023-04-01-at-01-47-55

 

"This was uncalled for. I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. It's like I just saw blood everywhere. I'm just so tired of everything. This is exactly why I asked for space. I didn't want to push anyone or hurt anyone the way I'm hurting."

 

"We're not going anywhere, Jo. You can push all you like, I'm not going anywhere. But maybe you should go after Lizzie for now. She seemed upset. I'll wait. We can talk when you're back."

 

"Are you sure?"

 

"Definitely. Go."

 

Josie left the room to search for Lizzie. Or that was what Hope thought.

 

Josie didn't, in fact, chase after Lizzie. And when Hope looked out the window to see where the book landed, brown locks of hair caught her eye, and her almost-girlfriend was looking for that damn book. 

 

The book was nowhere to be seen, though, and Josie was certainly acting strange.  

 

"Maybe you should give her the benefit of the doubt. She you're girlfriend, after all... Then again. You didn't really DTR."

 

"What the fuck?" Hope took a step back, turning her head 360 degrees, attempting to find out where the unwelcome voice came from. The odd thing, though, was that the voice sounded like it was coming from her own head. 

 

"DTR means Define the relationship in case you didn't know."

 

"Get out of my head."

 

"The name is Pan", uttered the arrogant being as if Hope was supposed to know the name by heart. 

 

"How are you even doing that?" 

 

"I'm not doing anything. You were the one that called out to me."

 

"I did NOT", denied Hope. 

 

Thoughts: Who the hell would willingly let someone invade his brain? 

 

"Technically, you did."

 

"Oh Yeah? How did I exactly do that?" Hope wanted to trick that conceited bastard, but she had to admit that it wasn't as easy as she had hoped.

 

"You were wondering where the book was...And well, here I am."

 

"Where are you?"

 

"On the bed. Right next to you."

 

"I... How the fuck did you do that. You were thrown out just a few minutes ago." Hope was out of words. She had seen a lot of odd things in her life, but this definitely takes the cake: A WALKING BOOK. Did someone slip her some shrooms in her tea?

 

"You swear an awful lot for a high school girl."

 

"I'm a Mikealson. It comes with the territory. Now, how about you answer me instead of acting like the freecking morality police?"

 

"I would, but I don't think you would believe me."

 

"Try me" 

 

Hope was never the adventurous type; fucked up shit just tended to follow her around. But who was she to deny this crazy ghost the chance of a lifetime?

 

She was thinking of burning the hell out of this book, but maybe giving it a chance to explain itself before it went up in flames would be fair. 

 

"Bippity boppity boo."

 

Hope found herself looking around for talking mice and a carriage made of pumpkins but thank god nothing happened.

 

Well, aside from the talking book that is. 

 

"Very Funny,"

 

"You asked, and I answered. Much obliged."

 

"Magic; You are actually talking about magic?"

 

"Bingo."

 

Hope threw a glance at the talking book. It looked so ordinary, and yet all of her senses were calling for it. Her hand threw itself at it, touching its edges with excitement, rejoicing in this reunion.

 

Hope didn't see a book. Hope saw paintings and art, Hope saw shades and lines, Hope saw colours and brushes,

 

Hope saw everything she wanted to see. She saw her parents, her aunts, her nephew, and her uncles. She even saw Josie.

 

It was like the book knew how to speak to her, how to reach her deep inner desires and her buried core.

 

Hope was taken aback. She didn't even notice her flight response.

 

She didn't even feel herself leaving Josie's room and rushing to her own.

 

"I can help you; you know."

 

"With what exactly?" Hope's mind slowly came back to reality, although her senses were still dumbfounded. It was as if the unbidden voice pulled her out of a heavenly slumber. 

 

"Getting the girl."

 

"Thanks, but I got it covered."

 

"I don't think you do", uttered Pan in a mocking tone.

 

"No offence, but you're a book. I don't think you're much of a lady killer," interjected Hope, quite offended by Pan's unsolicited mockery.

 

"Come on, what's the harm in accepting help? I helped you once before."

 

"When? What are you talking about?"

 

"Who do you think called the police 2 weeks ago?"

 

"That was you?"

 

"DING DING DING. We have a winner."

 

"Wow. Well, you saved our asses. Gotta hand it to you. Thanks, I guess."

 

Pan ignored the gratitude and recentered the conversation on Josie. "She likes ice skating but doesn't know how to."

 

"How do you know that?"

 

"You still doubt me? You're like a dog with a bone. Have some faith in humanity."

 

"Well, you're not exactly human."

 

"I'm ignoring the dig. Anyway, She told me. We're friends."

 

"Well, as much as I would like to believe you. I don't exactly know where we can go... Or how to even convince her to go."

 

"I got you covered. Well, on the first part, at least. Put your hand in your pocket."

 

Hope slowly but hesitantly slipped both hands into her pockets. Her heartbeat skyrocketed as her fingers were met with thick sturdy paper. Paper? Odd. Hope took the items out and was shocked to see 2 day tickets to a skating arena "Murrayfield Ice Rink".

 

"How did..."

 

"Again, with doubt. Just call me your fairy godmother."

 

"Why would you do that?"

 

"Because you look like you need all the help you can get. And I'm feeling charitable today."

 

"What else can you do?" Hope was filled with wonder. What else could this book do? What else could this supposed magic do? Could it bring back her parents? Could it bring back Landon? 

 

"All good things come to those who wait."

 

Pan was testing Hope, and Hope wasn't about to take the bait.

 

She would stop asking questions for the moment being, but she sure as hell wasn't giving up. Hope knew that waiting never solved anything. In fact Hope often wondered what would have happened if the firefighters wouldn't have waited so long... Maybe her parents would be alive today. 

 

"Okay. Is there a manual I should read or something? Am I trading my soul for this?"

 

"You watch too many movies. And no, I'm not here to collect your soul. I would hurry for the date, though. The tickets are for today".

 

"She won't agree to this" uttered Hope as if debating the issue with her own desires. 

 

"Try and fail but do not fail to try."

 

"Oh yeah, thanks, Brainquotes. Is this also magic?"

 

"No, it's just common sense." replied Pan insulted "Just a heads-up, You should find a way to cheer her up because harder times are coming."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"Well... I can't go into specifics. But her dad is coming next week. He's coaching the Cramond basketball team. And let's just say it's going to be quite the family reunion."

 

"How do you know that?"

 

"Bippity boppity boo. Do I need to repeat my rehearsed speech?"

 

"I have to tell her", insisted Hope. 

 

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. He's a lousy drunk that broke her heart again and again. It's not the good news you'd hope it to be."

 

"I don't care. I am not lying to her. Not starting this relationship with lies. Besides, I don't lie."

 

"You don't need to lie. You just need to keep your mouth shut. Or tell her if you dare. Just beware. People tend to shoot the messenger and all."

 

"I'll think about it. Thanks for the tickets. I gotta go."

 

"Sure thing, Hope."

 

"Where should I keep you exactly?"

 

"Oh, you want me all to yourself, I see. Naughty girl."

 

"Whatever. I just want to figure this out... So, for the time being, you're staying here. Well on the condition that you never say Naughty again."

 

"mmmm... You can leave me on your bed. it's comfy enough, I suppose."

 

"Sure. I'll see you later."

 

 

 

Lizzie and Josie's room:

 

"Come on, Jo... Open up. I know you're in there."

 

"Go away", replied Josie, her voice barely audible... 

 

"Open up. I promise you it's fine. I'm not upset."

 

Hope's features softened as she heard the door creak open just a bit and saw a shy josie peek through the thin aperture. 

 

"Well, you should be", sighed Josie, emitting a deep, audible and frustrated breath. 

 

Hope felt her frustration and wanted to take it all in. She had always wanted to breathe in Josie's pain until there was none left. 

 

"Well, I'm not", retorted Hope, openly defying Josie's resistance. 

 

"I'm sorry", Josie suddenly broke down as if burdened by shame and pain "I didn't mean to push you away." 

 

Josie felt so small, shrinking in size and looking at the floor. Hope just wanted to pick her up and lock her arms around her.

 

josie-saltzman-face-cover

 

"You've been through a lot, love. No need to be sorry. We all survive in different ways. Trust me. I did horrible things throughout the years. But my family. They understood. They saw what was underneath. And I do too."

 

"Would you like to come in?" asked Josie in a hesitant voice, as if she was uncertain of her question or maybe uncertain of the answer she might expect to receive.

 

Thoughts: Did Josie think I would say no? Could I ever say no to her?

 

"I would love to", said Hope choosing every word carefully with the intent to obliviate any remaining doubts in Josie's mind. 

 

"Before we sit down. Do you have anything belonging to my mother that I should be aware of?" asked Josie, a lighter tone invading her voice and intentions. 

 

Hope saw Josie wink at her with that treacherous edible wink and just lost her mind.

 

"Can we please forget about that? Lizzie is just... She's too much sometimes."

 

"Tell me about it. She's a lot to handle, but her heart is in the right place."

 

Hope was surprised by the sudden shift in behaviour and perspective. Was Josie back to being her mature and calm self?

 

"Did you two kiss and make up?"

 

"No. But we will. I just need to apologize and make it up to her."

 

"You're amazing."

 

"How come?"

 

"Because you always find a way to be the bigger person even when you have the right to be a brat." 

 

"Well, I was a brat", interjected Josie pointing at herself as if to make more emphasis on the subject in question "all day, to be exact."

 

"A hot brat"

 

Thoughts: Oups... That slipped out. 

 

"Oh... My! I didn't realise you had a thing for bad girls. Truly noted Miss Mikealson."

 

Thoughts: thank god we're back to playful banter. I missed this. 

 

"I missed you", blurted Hope.

 

"I missed you too, like hell."

 

"Well, I've been here."

 

Hope couldn't wait any longer as she started her stride toward her lover. Her body flew on its own, approaching her prey and pinning her to the wall behind her.

 

"I know", murmured Josie, unsure of what to say, unsure of how to explain. Not sure if she could even think of anything with Hope so close to her, so close they were practically sharing a breath "I..."

 

Hope dived slowly towards Josie's right ear and gently bit its edge before leisurely whispering... "I've been here waiting."

 

Josie gulped, and Hope bathed in that sound.

 

"I know", repeated Josie melting in her own mixture of sweat and desire. 

 

Hope's hands, which now had a mind of their own, started their own hunting trip as well. Palms moved down excruciatingly, touching everything on their path, from shoulders to side breasts to stomach, landing on Josie's hips, steadying her shaking body in place. 

 

"And yet you asked me for space," whispered Hope in defiance.

 

Hope could hear Josie's heart beating fast, pumping heat throughout their touching bodies, and it made her want to touch even more... She wanted to feel everywhere, feel everything...

 

"I know... " 

 

Hope could see Josie's lips moving, but her voice was barely audible... Josie was choking on her words... 

 

"And you wanted to keep us a secret" Hope's tongue was multi-tasking, rejoicing in its war for power both in words and in kisses.

 

Hope bit Josie's chin in retaliation, exacting her revenge for these unfair requests... How could she ask her to stay away? When all Hope wanted was to never leave her side.

 

Screenshot-2023-04-01-at-02-01-32

 

"I know... " Josie seemed to be out of breath, out of words. She seemed to be completely out of it...

 

"Well... My patience has run its course... And I don't have any strength left to stop myself from this..."

 

Hope meant every single word, and how she managed to utter them in such a drunken haze was certainly an astonishing miracle. 

 

Josie swallowed hard.

 

"From what?" asked Josie as if it was her turn for defiance. As if she was ignoring what she already knew to be the answer. 

 

Hope felt light-headed for a second before she moved to bit Josie's neck.

 

She bit it hard, basking in its warmth, enjoying its honeyed taste... Hope wanted more... She felt an unexpected hunger... An unending famine... An infinite craving...

 

Hope's eyes caught the sight of teeth biting lips and went wild. Josie was tugging on her bottom lip, hanging on to dear life...

 

And Hope wanted to ease the pain. She wanted to free that lip and cover it with her own... 

 

"I want something from you, Jo." 

 

"... And what is that?"

 

Hope bit Josie's jaw and nibbled on every part of it before smothering it with kisses, trying to soothe the bruised skin. 

 

"It's you. I want all of you."

 

Josie's knees were shaking against Hope's thighs... And the aburn-haired girl took it as a signal to wedge one of her legs between the brunette's thighs, offering her lover more support. 

 

"You have me... You have all of me."

 

Josie's words fell on deaf ears as Hope longed towards red lips and swallowed them whole.

 

Screenshot-2023-04-01-at-02-01-01

 

The kiss was unlike any other they had. It was fast and hurried, it was chaotic and hungry; it was brutal and savage.

 

Hope's hands floated towards erect nipples, pinching and grasping, robbing and snatching.

 

Hope felt like her breath hitched in her throat, and although she wasn't usually this cruel. She just couldn't stop herself. 

 

Screenshot-2023-04-01-at-02-01-19

 

She couldn't control herself. Her hands were ready to destroy any shields separating them from Josie's skin... She wanted to rip off Josie's shirt...

 

She wanted to touch those marvellous breasts, worship them and adore them... Offer them the reverence and adoration that only deities deserve. 

 

But Hope's hands were suddenly stopped mid-track...

 

Screenshot-2023-04-01-at-02-07-36

 

"Hey, wait ... Baby...Wait ... Are you okay? You're going extremely fast... Even for me..."

 

Hope lunged again.

 

"Hope, Stop. We have time. You seem off. Is everything okay?"

 

Hope didn't answer. Hope wasn't answering at all, in fact.

 

Josie took a step back and raised Hope's face to reach out to her.

 

She tried to look into her eyes and see what was going on. 

 

"Hope. Baby... Don't be scared but ... Your eyes. They're different. They're glowing."

 

Screenshot-2023-04-01-at-02-10-57

 

Hope suddenly heard familiar voices spilling behind her.

 

"What's going on here exactly?" howled a certain Caroline Forbes.

 

"Oh, leave them alone, Care. You were having orgies at their age. Besides, you didn't even knock," interjected Rebecca Mikealson. 

 

"So that's why you were too busy to call us?" continued Freya Mikealson. 

 

Screenshot-2023-04-01-at-02-17-27

 

"Our little baby is just like her father. Quite the lady killer," muttered Marcel.

 

Thoughts: Oh... the whole gang was here. 

 

Out of all the people to barge in without knocking... It had to be her family and Josie's mom. Hope couldn't even think about the intruders right now as her beating heart was taking a life of its own.

 

Hope felt her body escape her, fighting to get out. Fighting every instinct, she had to stay calm.

 

She saw flashes of herself leaving the room fueled by insatiable hunger, eyes shut and face covered...

 

Running and running and running... Without ever stopping... Chasing green leaves... Brown soil, and freezing wind.

 

Whatever was happening, Hope knew one thing. She needed to let herself go.

 

Screenshot-2023-04-01-at-02-14-54

 

Chapter 37: Destiny is calling my child...

Chapter Text

 

UNKNOWN: 

 

She was lost and disoriented. She kept straying and vanishing and drifting little by little out of consciousness…

 

What was this? Where was she? Was this a castle?

 

Her eyes barely registered the trail ahead.

 

She saw some sort of sombre corridor, black and white tiles that lay forth and under.

 

It felt like she was a chess pawn sliding on a chessboard.

 

It felt like some holy power was moving her. She felt like she was being nudged, pushed and dragged with no ability to stop herself from drifting further...

 

munich-palace-germany-architecture

 

 

She barely had a chance to see the paintings on the wall. The largest paintings were of a man and a woman leisurely sitting on a throne of thorns, a scary one at that.

 

Both of them carried themselves with pride and power.

 

Whilst one inspired love, the other inspired ultimate hate. The woman had delicate features and loving eyes, long shiny hair and an adorning smile embracing the world and everyone living in it.

 

The man had a rigid look about him, sombre eyes and an evil stare. His eyebrows met in the middle like he was glowering at the world, threatening anyone and everyone. The frames had initials graved underneath them: MM and EM. 

 

Other paintings were laid on each side of the corridor. Two women were featured on the left next to the huge paintings, and, on the right, four men and a boy. These people were sublime… Noble, majestic and just utterly awe-inspiring. 

 

All the paintings had golden frames… All of them except one; the painting of an attractive man with curly-haired dirty blond hair, pearl-white skin and blue eyes that pierced into your soul. He looked like a warrior ready for battle but had a delicate air about him, a frail expression resembling the one shown in the second painting… As if this "EM" was somehow his mother. The man felt familiar…

 

But her memory was betraying her. She didn't understand how she arrived here, and definitely didn't remember who these people were supposed to be or how she knew them.

 

The silver painting especially spoke to her and deeply touched her heart. This man connected with her on deeper levels… His eyes made her heart beat briskly.

 

And the more she looked at them, the more they changed. Blue vanished and Gold slit through reality at the expense of its navy predecessor.

 

The eyes shifted into almond-shaped entities, colours ranging from amber to pale yellow and ultimately landing on the purest gold humanity has ever seen.

 

A glowing iris set the tone of the discussion that lay ahead and she found herself unable to stop connecting with the man in the painting. 

 

She wasn't supposed to be here. This wasn't her world. The power that was emanating from this painting felt so overwhelming… it felt like such a power would destroy her, would destroy everything. She had to leave. She didn't belong here.

 

"You are exactly where you're supposed to be my child…" A voice broke through her chain of thoughts and pulled her back to the world she was trying helplessly to flee. 

 

"Who are you?" She found herself feebly asking as if knowing would make an even remote difference or help her go back home.

 

"It matters not."

 

"What do you mean? Where am I?"

 

"It matters not my child."

 

"Is there anything that does?" She screamed hopelessly with a straining stupendous frustration. 

 

"She is the lock, and you are the key."

 

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"Who is?"

 

"Listen closely, my child. Time is running out. You must protect her with all your might, for without you, she will cease to exist, and without her, the world will perish…"

 

The silver frame opened up, and smoke took over the corridor throwing her straight into a flaming portal. Her body was flung violently and hit the ground forcefully… But she didn't feel pain. She only felt relief.

 

Her eyes delicately took in the sight ahead.

 

A colourful room surged, hundreds of paintings on the walls, brushes on the floor, colours everywhere, patterns here and there.

 

Her attention then zoomed in on a small shadow. The shadow of a little girl sitting in the corner, her legs pulled in…

 

It seemed like she was pensive, calmly looking at everything around her.

 

What surprised her the most was the string of flames surrounding the shadow. It was as if its edges were blazing flames. 

 

"She is the end and the beginning."

 

"Who is? Answer me..." Her voice was shaking.

 

"You have a duty to protect her, she who holds your heart."

 

"With what powers? I'm not special..."

 

"You are very special, my child. You have the power to drain strength from everything; you have the power to pump and fuel and redirect energy where you see fit. You are a mighty siphoner, capable to drain good and bad, white and black, life and death."

 

"Siphoner?"

 

"Magic… My child. You and everything around you are magic."

 

"I'm magic?"

 

"Listen carefully, young one. She will be betrayed by someone close to her, and she will rage and change and push you away. But she is the lock, my child, and you are the key. You are connected. Now go… Go before they find out about this…"

 

"They?" Her brain was oozing with information, seeping everything that she was told but grasping no meaning to anything…

 

"Leaaave" a divine howl penetrated her being. "But mark my words; Destiny is calling you…" repeated the divine being. 

 

 

Josie's Room: 

 

Josie woke up alone, bathing in a puddle of sweat and fear. Her body was burning up, her head pounding, and her heart thumping. 

 

It was a dream. I was dreaming. It… It's not real. I'm nothing. I'm not special. I can barely protect myself.

 

Destiny is calling…

 

She is the lock, and you are the key...

 

The words reverberated in her heart and soul. 

 

Screenshot-2023-06-18-at-15-30-40

 

Who am I supposed to protect?

 

She who holds my heart…

 

Is it Hope? 

 

Hope was always saving her. How was she supposed to repay the favour? With what powers? This was crazy. 

 

This is completely crazy. It is simply and utterly crazy: a reign of pure chaos, idiocy, insanity, lunacy, madness, and nonsense. 

 

But what if…

 

What if Hope was somehow in danger? 

 

Hope...

 

Hope.

 

Damn her.

 

She hadn't been answering Josie's texts… 

 

Rebecca, Hope's aunt, had told her to avoid worrying.

 

"My niece always does this… She embraces solitude like it's the greatest gift given to humanity. She's probably out getting art supplies…"

 

It suddenly hit Josie like a raging thunder. 

 

Oh my god. Rebecca. How didn't I notice earlier?

 

That woman in the painting… and Freya… and Kol. Oh my god. It was Hope's dad. It was Hope's dad that spoke to her. His blue eyes and then his golden eyes. It was Hope's dad. 

 

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Josie's breath was hitched, stuck in her throat. What was happening to her? Why did she have that dream?

 

Her thoughts were completely jumbled.

 

Looking back, Josie was a realist at heart.

 

She believed in what was rational, what was proven, what was true.

 

But this all felt so real… And her destiny was right around the corner, seeking her.

 

 

Caroline's office: 

 

"Her phone is still turned off. I'm starting to get worried," breathed Freya plunging everyone back into a pool of concern. 

 

"Me too. And Marcel isn't answering either." 

 

"We should have gone with them", insisted Keelin. "Those, too, are probably too busy fighting like an old couple."

 

"Okay, let's go then" 

 

"Wait. I still think we should let Damon know with everything that's been going on," interjected Caroline in a calm and calculated manner. 

 

"I'm sure she's just lost in the neighbouring woods. I mean, she's new, so it makes sense. She's never had a good sense of direction, our little Hope," spoke Rebecca in a low voice as if she was trying to comfort herself.

 

"And don't even get me started on Damon...Let's just say you picked the better brother."

 

"I understand your concerns, but..." Caroline was suddenly interrupted by a phone call. 

 

"Yes... Exactly. Have you seen her? Oh. Are you sure? Yes. Please send me a copy of the security footage. No. Keep looking. Thank you, Kyle." 

 

"It's the new security guy. He says he saw Hope jogging outside."

 

"Makes sense", muttered Freya, deep in thought.

 

"She does that when she feels overwhelmed. She says it helps clear her head," explained Keeling to everyone else in the office. 

 

"In any case," continued Caroline, "I asked him to send us a copy of the security footage."

 

"Yeah, we heard. I'm still going to go look for her and the others," suggested Keelin.

 

"I'm coming with..." intervened Freya running after her wife.

 

"I'll stay here in case she calls. And tell Marcel to call me when you see him," shouted Rebecca to no one in particular as Keelin and Freya were already out of earshot. 

 

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Sebastian's room: 

 

"How did you get past Mr Williams?" 

 

"Who do you even take me for? A rookie? This isn't my first rodeo hun" drawls Lizzie sarcastically winking at him.

 

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Sebastian blushed profusely. "You're like a modern Tom cruise."

 

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"Yeah, and without any stunt doubles", interjected Lizzie, her voice beaming with pride. 

 

"Shall I make some tea?"

 

"I like my tea dirty and spilled..." answered Lizzie playfully. 

 

"Well, I'm not one to gossip but let's get this par-TEA started."

 

"You British and your puns."

 

"You don't like puns? come on. Everyone likes quali-TEA puns."

 

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"You need to stop this; my foot is already out the door..." threatened a cheeky Lizzie.

 

"Better out the door than in my posterior" joked Sebastian with a smile showing the most beautiful set of dimples Lizzie has ever seen. "Although I very much love your company."

 

"Don't try me, Tomato Hanks."

 

Sebastian started laughing uncontrollably. "You just found the right wordplay at the right time. Very PUN-ctual of you."

 

Lizzie quickly joined in, her gaze shifting with her laughter and swiftly meeting Sebastian's own. 

 

Sebastian went quiet, and Lizzie was probably imagining things, but it felt like he was leaning in.

 

"So where is Ayla and everybody?" released Lizzie hesitantly, biting her lip.

 

Sebastian almost coughs before reflecting on the question, "Her parents flew her back home."

 

Lizzie hummed, "Oh, cool."

 

"Wait", added Sebastian as if remembering just now. "She left you something."

 

"Oh?"

 

"A letter" Sebastian opened the drawer next to him. "Here."

 

Sebastian handed her the letter, and Lizzie held it tight in her hand, her grasp firm and her fingers tingling in anticipation. 

 

Lizzie wanted to read it right now. I mean, patience was undoubtedly a virtue, but Lizzie never cared about it.

 

Yes, come on. She can read it.

 

But Sebastian's here. And he was looking at her with unassertive eyes...Half begging her to read it and half begging her to throw it away. 

 

What if it was supposed to be private?

 

I can wait. Can't I? 

 

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Sebastian cleared his throat before asking her if she wanted to watch something. 

 

"Yes... Let's do it. The Crown?"

 

"Lizzie, just because I'm British, doesn't mean we need to watch the Crown!"

 

"Come on; at least I have someone to double-check if these are historically accurate facts or not."

 

"Not a history buff, I'm afraid."

 

"How about a Marvel movie, then?"

 

"You mean like Superman?"

 

"You didn't just say that."

 

"What?"

 

"Apologize."

 

"What the heck?"

 

"Hello... Superman is DC. DC and Marvel are like Ketchup and Mustard. Nothing alike."

 

"They're all super heroes that are undercover."

 

"First of all, Marvel superheroes are known. I mean, yeah, they wear masks, but everyone knows most of them. Second of all, Marvel superheroes are fun and can form teams like avengers. DC heroes are more grim."

 

"You know a lot about this stuff."

 

"Well, yeah. Of course, I do. I love comics."

 

"What else do you like to do in your free time?"

 

"Depends..."

 

"On what?" asked Sebastian eagerly.

 

"On the company, of course", whispered Lizzie ironically.

 

"Okay, present company included."

 

"Oh, you're putting me on the spot. Very ballsy of you."

 

"If I wanted to put you on the spot Elizabeth. I would have asked if you liked French culture."

 

"And why is that?" answered Lizzie, her eyebrows joined in a knot.

 

"Because I would very much like to French kiss you now, Miss Cruise."

 

 

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UNKNOWN: 

 

"Here, drink this…"

 

"…"

 

"Can you stop resisting? I'm only trying to help. It's water. Just drink…"

 

Hope was struggling to open her eyes. She was slipping in and out of consciousness as if her body was struggling, lost, unsure if it should be awake or not or if she could even be awake.

 

Her bones were aching, her flesh burning, and her head was pounding. 

 

Screenshot-2023-06-18-at-15-28-30

 

"Don't move. Just relax. I'm here to help," a soothing voice slid into her consciousness. 

 

That voice sounded so familiar. She knew that voice.

 

She had to focus, but focus she couldn't. 

 

Hope lay on the ground, bare and broken. 

 

"Here, you can use my jacket."

 

Is it …? No, it can't be.

 

"L..."

 

Hope mustered up all the strength she had left. 

 

"Landon?"

 

"Yes. It's me. Are you okay? Feeling any better?" He asked her, his voice laced with concern. 

 

"Are…you?"

 

"I'm fine. I'm fine" answered Landon, his tone negating the veracity of his response. 

 

"We looked everywhere for you", mumbled Hope, trying to convey her disdain…

 

"We need to talk. Can you open your eyes?"

 

"I don't need them to listen… you know."

 

Landon smiled. It had been a long time since he heard a joke from a friend.

 

He wasn't sure they will even stay friends after he tells her the truth. 

 

"Where were you?" asked Hope in a desperate attempt to get answers before all her might vanishes.

 

"Now is not the time for this. I need to tell you something. It's important. I'm just not sure how to say it…"

 

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"Just rip off the band-aid", whispered Hope. 

 

"You... You turned."

 

"Into a pumpkin?"

 

"I'm glad humour is high on your list of priorities right now. But this is serious."

 

"Then act like it", spit out Hope, barely registering what was happening and struggling to keep her focus afloat. 

 

"You turned into a wolf, Hope."

 

"..."

 

"And it's all my fault", continued Landon, reflecting tragically on past events and on his all-consuming guilt. "The accident. Your accident. It was staged." 

 

"You must be joking."

 

"They made me…"

 

"What the hell..."

 

"You killed someone. That was the condition."

 

"To?"

 

"To turn..."

 

An out-of-her-mind Hope had a surge of power at that instant. "What do you mean I killed someone? Speak… Who?"

 

"Me. You killed me."

 

"And your ghost is here to haunt me?" Hope was getting sick of this little game, and if this was some kind of nightmare; she really needed to wake up. 

 

"I'm not a ghost. I'm a phoenix."

 

"The bird?"

 

"Phoenixes can rise from the dead, Hope. I... I rose from the dead." 

 

"Are you high?"

 

"You turned, and you're healed. Your hand. It's not broken anymore."

 

Hope didn't believe him at all. But would it hurt to check?

 

She tried and tried, but In spite of her will, her body was unable to move. 

 

"I'm just here to warn you."

 

"Warn me?"

 

"Stay away from Josie, Hope. You will hurt her."

 

"I would never..."

 

"I know you think you wouldn't. But it's your wolf you should be worried about. You're covered in blood, Hope and I don't even know whose it is…"

 

"Cut the crap, Landon."

 

"I wish I was lying. You hurt someone tonight." 

 

"Shut up..."

 

"When you open your eyes, you will see red...." 

 

"I would never..."

 

"You can't control it; it controls you."

 

"Shut the fuck up..."

 

"It will keep happening. The Wolf killed the Phoenix, and the Phoenix rose from the dead. The curse has been invoked."

 

Hope choked on her spit as if fighting to understand. 

 

"There is no way back. It will control you, and they will control it" Landon took a deep breath and repeated familiar words. "First, the bird is caged, then the wolf is tamed. Trying to stop the shepherd will only be in vain”.

 

Hope wanted to punch and hit and break, but her eyes grew heavier and heavier, and her awareness vanished, pushing her body back into a deep slumber. 

 

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Chapter 38: People are dropping like flies over there.

Chapter Text

 

Flashback - 2 Weeks ago

 

"Lemmens, we're hitting the town on a double date tomorrow night."

"Trigger, I'd rather not third-wheel you and your latest catch."

"All you gotta do is flash those baby blues, Ayla. You're the runner-up school heartthrob, after me, naturally."

"Naturally. And who's my supposed date? Guy? Girl?"

"Does it matter? You've got universal appeal."

"… Really?"

"Okay, fine. I'm just freaked out and could use a wing woman."

"Fine, I'm in."

 

The scene was playing through Ayla's mind like an unfamiliar lullaby, one that was hindering any chances she had of dozing off. 

 

It was as if she thought revisiting this sequence of events would give her some clue as to why she accepted this ordeal without caution. 

 

Thoughts: What the hell did I get myself into??

 

You see, Ayla was going on her first-ever blind date.

 

Ayla was also going on her first-ever double date. 

 

Yes, two for the price of one. 

 

Did she mention that she hated blind dates almost as much as she hated double dates?

 

But she still said yes. Why? 

 

To aid an Acquaintance? To please a Classmate? To help a Friend? 

 

Were they friends? She and Trigger were anything but. 

 

Elizabeth Saltzman was an absolute lunatic. She was annoying. She was obnoxious. She was arrogant, manipulative, impatient, disrespectful, impulsive, indecisive… Ayla hated each one of those traits.

 

And yet, she couldn't bring herself to hate Elizabeth. 

 

Lost in a sea of fervent thoughts, Ayla's mind finally surrendered and drifted to sleep, unable to fight the fatigue any longer. 

 

 

D-D Day:

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"Knock, knock..."

 

Ayla, slightly amused by her friend's antics, plays along.

 

"You do realize knocking and then saying 'knock, knock' is redundant, right?"

 

"Humour me. You're supposed to say, 'Who's there?'"

 

Ayla, rolling her eyes but with a hint of a smile, indulges Lizzie.

 

"Alright, who's there?"

 

"Figs."

 

"Lizzie, I'm not in the mood for—"

 

"No, no, you gotta say, 'Figs who?'"

 

Ayla, sighing but curious about where this is going.

 

"Figs who?"

 

Lizzie, unable to contain her amusement, laughs before delivering the punchline.

 

"Figs the doorbell, I've been out here ages. Get it? HA!"

 

Ayla couldn't help but laugh as well, despite the silliness. "You're unusually chipper today."

 

"Because it's DD-Day, Lemmens!"

 

"DD-Day?"

 

"Double Date Day, duh!"

 

"I marvel at your efficiency with abbreviations. I wonder what you do with all the extra time you save."

 

"I was going to compliment you too, saying you look SH, but now I’m reconsidering."

 

"SH?"

 

"Sizzling Hot."

 

"Oh…" And there she goes again, shutting Ayla up with just two letters. "I… Thanks. You don't look so bad, yourself."

 

And boy, was she lying … Lizzie didn't just look alright. Lizzie looked really nice, like the - wearing a red-carpet look and pulling it off easily - kind of nice. 

 

"Yes, it's the burden of beauty. I just wake up looking like this every day." 

 

"Really? Must be a heavy burden, waking up as Miss Universe," Ayla teased, her tone dripping with mock sympathy.

 

Lizzie's laughter echoed, light and carefree. "Oh, it's an unbearable weight, but someone's got to carry it. Plus, tonight's not just about looking fabulous. It's about making memories!"

 

Ayla nodded, her nerves momentarily eased by the comfort of their routine. "Memories, right? Because nothing says 'memorable' like potentially awkward social interactions."

 

"As if you've ever been awkward in your life," Lizzie teased, checking her reflection in the mirror one last time. "You could charm the leaves off the trees."

 

"Or charm the devil into giving back your soul?" Ayla quipped, eyebrows raised.

 

"That's the spirit!" Lizzie trailed off, a sly smile creeping onto her face as if she was hiding something underneath this innocent façade.

 

The banter continues as they discuss the evening ahead, with Ayla still unaware of her blind date's identity.

 

 

Ayla, now slightly apprehensive, ventured, "So, who's my date for tonight?"

 

Lizzie hesitated, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Well, brace yourself... "

 

"Who is it, Lizzie?"

 

"It's Alyssa."

 

"Alyssa?" Ayla's heart skipped a beat. "As in 'Devil Spawn' Alyssa Chang?"

 

"The one and only! I figured it's time you met my arch-nemesis."

 

"Why on earth would you set me up with her?" Ayla was incredulous.

 

Lizzie shrugged, a playful smirk on her lips. "It's simple. Keep your friends close and your frenemies on a blind date with your bestie."

 

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Ayla, sighing but now intrigued by the absurdity of the situation, conceded, "I'm not sure if I should be flattered or terrified."

 

"Consider it a thrilling adventure." Lizzie's enthusiasm was infectious. "Plus, it's too late to back out now."

 

As they walked, the air filled with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension; Lizzie suddenly stopped, turning to Ayla with a look that suggested there was more to the story.

 

"Okay, okay, there's something else you should know," Lizzie admitted, her tone shifting to one of reluctant confession.

 

"What now?" Ayla braced herself for another shock.

 

"It wasn't actually my idea to invite Alyssa," Lizzie said, biting her lip. "It was Sebastian's."

 

"Sebastian?" Ayla's surprise was evident. "But he barely knows her."

 

"Exactly," Lizzie nodded. "He met Alyssa at a sports club event. They got talking, and he mentioned playing cricket back home. Despite the short time, Sebastian seems to think Alyssa's quite the character—says she's got this energy that's hard to find."

 

Ayla's hesitation lingered, a frown tugging at the corners of her mouth.

 

The mention of Alyssa, coupled with the unexpected revelation about Sebastian's involvement, stirred a tumult of emotions she couldn't quite name. "And he suggested Alyssa for me? What, did he see some sort of kindred spirit in her competitiveness?"

 

Lizzie chuckled, trying to lighten the mood "Something like that. Sebastian believes in taking chances and mixing things up. He said Alyssa is the Ying to his Yang, despite their brief acquaintance. Thinks you two might actually get along if you look past the surface."

 

There was a pause, a moment where words hung unsaid between them.

 

The air was thick with unacknowledged tension, a silent notice of something more profound than friendship, yet neither Ayla nor Lizzie dared to voice it.

 

Instead, they veiled their confusion and unexplored feelings with laughter and a semblance of excitement for the night ahead.

 

Yet, the undercurrent of their conversation hinted at their mutual denial, a reluctance to confront the nature of their bond.

 

As they continued their walk, the conversation steered back to the superficial details of the evening—what they would eat and how they should act around Sebastian and Alyssa.

 

Yet, the shift back to light-hearted topics couldn't dispel the lingering sense of what remained unsaid.

 

In a trendy downtown bistro:

 

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In the warm glow of the bistro, with its ambient chatter and clinking glasses, the stage was set for an unexpected night.

 

Sebastian and Alyssa arrived together, their easy camaraderie unmistakable.

 

Alyssa had something about her that piqued Ayla's interest, a presence commanding the room with an air of confidence that bordered on defiance.

 

Her eyes locked with Lizzie's, an unspoken challenge passing between them before she turned her attention to Ayla, her demeanour softening.

 

"Hope we haven't kept you waiting too long. Traffic was a nightmare," said Sebastian with a charming grin.

 

He proceeded to take a seat next to Lizzie and ushered Alyssa to the one next to Ayla.

 

Nodding, her gaze briefly flitting to Lizzie before settling on Ayla, Alyssa interjected, "Absolutely, it would have been easier to park the car and just sprint the rest of the way."

 

Ayla offered Alyssa a warm smile but hesitated to respond, "Sorry about…"

 

"Speaking of running, did you know that Alyssa is basically our very own Forrest Gump: always preparing for a marathon and skipping exams. I guess some people just prefer body to mind..." Lizzie's tease was light, but the underlying tension gave it an edge.

 

"If running from your jokes counts, then yes, I'm training hard. Maybe you should join me sometime, Lizzie. It might just improve your sense of humour," responds Alyssa with a good-natured roll of her eyes.

 

The table erupted into laughter; even Lizzie couldn't help but crack a smile.

 

Sebastian, ever the peacemaker, steered the conversation towards more neutral territory, sharing a humorous anecdote from his cricket days in Britain.

 

"So you two know each other well?" asked Sebastian in a bid to ease his curiosity.

 

"We're on the same Basketball Team. And that's about it."

 

"Oh, come on, Lizzie, don't be too modest. You also were the nail in the coffin for MG and me. Did you forget?"

 

"You used to date MG?" intervened Sebastian. 

 

The jab hit hard, and Lizzie's cheeks turned scarlet red, "Now is not the time for these stories…"

 

Recognizing the tension escalating and Lizzie's discomfort, Ayla quickly jumped into the conversation, aiming to steer it away from the brewing storm.

 

Her voice carried a blend of humour and diplomacy, the perfect antidote to the moment's awkwardness.

 

"Well, I think that the past should be left in the past, right? Besides, we're here to make new memories, not dwell on old ones. Speaking of which, Sebastian, you mentioned cricket—how does that compare to baseball? I've always been curious."

 

The diversion worked.

 

Sebastian's face lit up with the opportunity to discuss a sport close to his heart, and he eagerly launched into an explanation of cricket's complexities, the differences in rules, and the sheer excitement of a well-played match.

 

The conversation shifted back to sports and athleticism, allowing Lizzie to regain her composure and join the conversation with a smile.

 

"Ayla here is actually quite the athlete herself. Have you told Sebastian about your hiking trip last summer, Ayla?"

 

Ayla shared her adventure, recounting the challenges and the unexpected joys of disconnecting from the world to reconnect with nature.

 

Alyssa, intrigued, leaned in closer. "That sounds amazing. I've always wanted to try something like that but never got around to it. Maybe you could give me some tips?"

 

"It's all about starting small, finding your rhythm, and, most importantly, enjoying the journey. There's something incredibly rewarding about reaching a peak and just taking in the view, knowing you've made it there on your own two feet."

 

Ayla's enthusiasm was evident, and her passion for the outdoors was infectious.

 

"That sounds exactly like what I need—a chance to challenge myself in a new way. And having someone experienced like you guiding me? I'd be foolish to pass up the opportunity."

 

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Ayla blushed profusely. 

 

It was then that Alyssa, inspired by the moment and perhaps seeking to solidify this budding friendship, made her proposal.

 

Turning to Ayla with an enthusiastic spark in her eye, catching Ayla's hand briefly, "You know, there's a local 5K next month. Nothing as crazy as the Sahara, but it's for a good cause. What do you say? Want to give it a shot with me?"

 

Ayla, though surprised by the sudden physical contact and the invitation, found herself drawn to the idea. "Why not? It sounds like fun. And it's for a good cause, you said?"

 

Lizzie's fork paused mid-air, the realization that Ayla and Alyssa were making plans without her—a stark reminder of how the evening had veered off course.

 

Lizzie watched, a twinge of jealousy threading through her as she observed the connection forming between Ayla and Alyssa.

 

Sebastian, noticing the shift, attempted to bridge the growing divide, engaging Lizzie in the conversation, but the effort felt like a band-aid over a widening crack.

 

 

In the midst of their meal, a sudden sharp pain shot through Ayla's foot.

 

A sharp glance under the table confirmed Ayla's suspicion: Lizzie had stepped on her foot intentionally, her expression a mix of irritation and defiance.

 

The moment called for a private confrontation.

 

Excusing themselves, they headed to the restroom, a silent battleground for the brewing storm.

 

Rubbing her foot, anger barely contained. "Seriously, Lizzie? What was that for?"

 

Crossing her arms, her frustration boiling over "I'm tired of watching you hog all the attention, especially Alyssa's. It's like I don't even exist."

 

"Hog the attention? You asked me to entertain Alyssa so you could cosy up to Sebastian. What did you expect?"

 

"There's a difference between entertaining someone and outright flirting with them."

 

Taken aback, her anger gave way to confusion, "And why does it matter to you so much if I was? Why does that bother you, Lizzie?"

 

Avoiding Ayla's gaze, her voice softer but still edged with frustration, "It doesn't. You're just... Driving me crazy, that's all."

 

Her frustration resurfaced. "Dealing with you is no walk in the park either, Lizzie. You're sending mixed signals and then getting mad at me for following your advice."

 

In the cramped confines of the restroom, the air thick with unsaid words, Ayla pressed on, her voice a mix of defiance and genuine confusion.

 

"You like Sebastian, right? So, what does it matter who I flirt with?"

 

Lizzie, caught off guard by the question, hesitated, her internal turmoil evident in the brief flicker of her eyes before settling back into a facade of indifference.

 

"Of course, I like Sebastian. That's not the point. It's... You're just not taking this seriously. It feels like you're playing games."

 

Her anger softened into curiosity. "Lizzie, if you like Sebastian, why are we even arguing about Alyssa? This doesn't make sense."

 

"I'm... It's complicated, okay? And seeing you with Alyssa just threw me off, I guess."

 

Sighing, trying to understand, "But why? If you're into Sebastian, then focus on that. Why does it matter if Alyssa and I get along?"

 

"Because it's not just about who we're into, Ayla! It's about us, this... thing between us. You're my friend, and it's like you're suddenly a different person with her."

 

The accusation hung between them, a stark revelation of the unacknowledged tension that had been simmering beneath the surface of their friendship.

 

"Lizzie, I'm still me whether I'm talking to you, Alyssa, or anyone else. I don't understand why my getting along with her is such an issue for you. Unless... there's something else you're not saying?"

 

Ayla took a few steps towards Lizzie, eyes imploring their counterpart ... Begging them to convey the truth at all.

 

"There's nothing else. I just... forget it. Let's just go back out there and pretend this conversation never happened."

 

"Fine by me..." Ayla exited the restroom, leaving the tension and unanswered questions to linger in the air, unresolved. 

 

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Salvatore School:

 

As the evening drew to a close, the group parted ways outside the bistro. Sebastian, ever the gentleman, offered to take Lizzie home (well their mutual home), a gesture she accepted with a subdued nod.

 

The drive was quiet, the earlier tension giving way to an awkward silence that neither knew how to break.

 

Upon reaching Lizzie's room, Sebastian, caught in the moment and perhaps misreading the night's signals, leaned in, hoping to end the evening on a romantic note.

 

Lizzie, however, pulled back gently, the weight of the evening's revelations still heavy on her mind.

 

"I'm sorry, Sebastian. I'm just... really tired. It's been a long night."

 

Sebastian, immediately understanding, nodded, his disappointment masked by a polite smile. "Of course, I understand. Get some rest. Goodnight, Lizzie."

 

"Goodnight, Sebastian. And thanks for the ride."

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Alyssa and Ayla took a taxi home, their earlier camaraderie blossoming into something more tangible as the night progressed.

 

Alyssa, feeling bold and not wanting the night to end without expressing her growing interest, leaned in and kissed Ayla, a soft but firm assertion of her attraction.

 

Ayla caught up in a whirlwind of emotions—anger at Lizzie, the surprise of Alyssa's lips on hers—kissed her back, a momentary escape from the night's frustrations.

 

As they parted, Ayla, her heart racing, knew she needed to set boundaries, aware of her own conflicted feelings.

 

"Alyssa, this... I'm not looking for anything serious right now. Just something casual, if that's okay with you."

 

Alyssa, a hint of disappointment in her eyes, nodded "I get it. No expectations. Let's just see where things go, no pressure."

 

With a final smile and a whispered goodnight, Alyssa left, leaving Ayla standing at her door, the taste of the kiss lingering, a bittersweet reminder of the night's events...

 

 

Unknown - 2 weeks ago:

 

In the dimly lit confines of a decrepit room, Landon huddled in a corner, his heart pounding as he strained to listen to a muffled conversation emanating from a speakerphone on a dusty table in the adjacent room.

 

The voices were distant, yet the gravity of their words was unmistakable. 

 

Voice 1: The kidnapper, his tone laced with a mix of pride and uncertainty, "I did as was foretold. The girl's brakes were tampered with, exactly as planned. And the motorcycle... perfectly positioned for what needed to happen."

 

Landon's breath hitched, the memory of the incident flashing vividly before his eyes—the screech of tyres, the thud of impact, the chaos that ensued.

 

Voice 2: A higher-ranking member of the secret society, calm and collected "And the phoenix? Did he rise as expected?"

 

Voice 1: "Yes, he did. It was like nothing I've ever seen before. He came back to life right there in front of the girl. But she... She didn't turn. I'm not sure if the ritual worked as we hoped."

 

Landon felt a shiver run down his spine.

 

The 'phoenix' they mentioned had to be him...

 

But what did that entail exactly? Why did he have the ability to come back to life?

 

Voice 3: Another member, sounding concerned "The girl didn't turn? That was the whole point of the ritual. Without her transformation, the prophecy remains unfulfilled."

 

Voice 2: "This is a setback. The prophecy clearly states that the phoenix's revival in the presence of the chosen one would trigger her awakening. If she did not turn, we must consider the possibility that we were mistaken."

 

Voice 1: "Or that the boy interrupted the process. He showed unexpected resilience. Perhaps the presence of another altered the ritual's outcome."

 

As the voices on the speakerphone began to discuss their next steps, Landon pressed himself closer to the door, desperate not to miss a word.

 

The stakes were higher than he'd realized, and every detail mattered.

 

Voice 2: "We cannot leave this to chance any longer. The prophecy must be fulfilled, and for that, we need the Book of Pan, the Shepherd Book. It holds the key to completing the ritual correctly."

 

Voice 1: "His Holiness mentioned the book is currently secured in the school's library under the guise of mythological literature. Few know its true power."

 

Landon's heart raced. The school library? He knew it well, a haven of quiet in his chaotic world, but he'd never imagined it held such secrets.

 

Voice 3: "Then it's decided. One of us will visit the school. We'll secure the Book of Pan and verify the girl's condition. If she has not turned, we'll have to intervene directly."

 

Voice 1: Sounding determined, "I'll go. I've interacted with the boy. It's only fitting I ensure the job is done. And while I'm there, I'll retrieve the book."

 

Voice 2: "Be cautious. The school is a nexus of energy; it's why the book was placed there. Its guardians may not know its true nature, but they will sense if something is amiss."

 

Voice 1: "Understood. I'll be discreet and swift. The prophecy will not wait, and neither will we."

 

The conversation veered into a debate about the next steps, the voices fading in and out as they discussed ancient texts and alternate interpretations of the prophecy.

 

Landon sat there, piecing together their words, a plan formulating in his mind.

 

 

At the Lockwood Estate:

 

In the shadowed confines of the estate, an urgent meeting took place under the watchful gaze of history and destiny.

 

Bonnie, a figure of power and wisdom from an ancient line of witches, convened with the Lockwood family, including the enigmatic Mason Lockwood himself, each bearing the heavy mantle of their lineage.

 

"Our powers have been dormant because of the prophecy... A necessary sacrifice to ensure the safety of all."

 

"Yet, what cost have we paid? We merely delayed the inevitable. Our powers, constrained, yearn for release. The time has come to address this."

 

The room was thick with the tension of centuries, a silent battle between those bound by more than mere blood and magic.

 

"According to the prophecy, our powers will awaken only with the rise of the phoenix and the transformation of the tribrid. A sacred creature embodying the lineage of witch, vampire, and werewolf. When the girl becomes the beast, the sequence of events will commence."

 

"Then the solution seems simple. We must eliminate her."

 

Her voice firm, dismissing the notion, Bonnie interjected, "A futile endeavour. She stands as the pinnacle of power on earth, wielding potential for both creation and destruction. Yet, she might ally with us, sharing both wolf and witch blood."

 

The idea of ending the tribrid sparked a storm of debate, the air crackling with the potential for power and the fear of its misuse.

 

"The Gemini twins could weaken her... Perhaps then, we could strike", suggested Mason, pride sipping through his carefully chosen words.

 

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"Why envision the darkest outcome? If the Gemini witches can diminish her strength, they can also aid in harnessing it. She alone can sway the Shepherds. By birthright, she commands."

 

The conversation spiralled a vortex of potentialities and apprehensions, until the youngest Lockwood, his voice previously unheard, interjected, slicing through the dense atmosphere.

 

"You overlook a critical facet. The prophecy dictates three conditions: the phoenix's ascent, the tribrid's turn, and a third, undisclosed element... This last piece remains veiled in shadow."

 

"True, without the third condition fulfilled, no threat emerges, and our powers lay dormant. 'Tres magicae numerus est...' Magic's power lies in threes."

 

As the assembly dispersed, the air lingered with more questions than resolutions; each member left to ponder their role in the prophecy's grand tapestry.

 

 

END OF FLASH-BACK

 

Unknown:

 

"He surprised me. What was I supposed to do?"

 

"You were tasked to retrieve the book and ensure the girl's condition was as we anticipated."

 

"I know, but..."

 

"There was no need for violence. You could have utilized the keys you had. An inspection excuse or engaging the newcomer, already embedded as a teacher, were viable options."

 

Silence enveloped the room, the weight of the misstep bearing down heavily on the kidnapper, who struggled under the scrutiny.

 

"I made it to the library. I used the password the headmistress had unwittingly provided, but... The book wasn't there. I searched everywhere."

 

The revelation that the Book of Prophecies remained out of their grasp stirred a palpable unease among them.

 

"The holy book must have its own agenda. But our inability to secure it complicates our path forward significantly."

 

"This incident cannot derail us. We must proceed with caution. The school will be on high alert, and our window of opportunity narrows."

 

"Understood. We move carefully from here on out. The prophecy remains our guide. The phoenix, the tribrid, and the book... they are key to everything. We'll find another way."

 

 

Damon's Office:

 

In the cluttered, dimly lit office of Detective Damon, the atmosphere was thick with the scent of old coffee and the rustle of case files.

 

Across from him sat his supervisor, a seasoned officer with a no-nonsense attitude.

 

Shaking his head, a playful smirk playing on his lips, " The Salvator School is turning into a regular Agatha Christie novel, Boss. People are dropping like flies over there."

 

"Give me the details, Damon. What's the latest?"

 

"Well, first off, we have the kid, Landon, gone missing. Then, out of nowhere, a fire erupts on school grounds. And now, to top it all off, we've got two dead bodies. And did I mention we just had a call about a blood trail in the nearby forest..."

 

3-2-1

 

"Two people? I've only been briefed on one. Explain."

 

"Ah, yes, about that. We had a witness come in, claimed he saw a kid fitting Landon's description, dead... Mentioned something about a motorcycle accident. But here's the kicker— When we got to the scene, there was no body to be found."

 

"No body? So, what are we dealing with here? A ghost sighting?"

 

Leaning back, his eyes twinkling with mischief, "Wouldn't that be something? I think there's more to it. This school, these kids... there's a piece of the puzzle we're missing."

 

"Well, it's your job to find that missing piece, Damon. I don't need to remind you that missing kids and mysterious deaths are no laughing matter."

 

Nodding, his demeanour shifting to one of seriousness, "Understood, Boss. I'm on it. There's something strange about that place, and I intend to find out what it is. Maybe pay the school a little visit, do some... Hands-on investigation."

 

"Just keep it professional, Damon. We need answers, not more mysteries. And Damon?"

 

"Yes, Boss?"

 

"Try not to flirt with the entire faculty while you're there. We need solid leads, not phone numbers."

 

Damon chuckled, a glint of anticipation in his eyes.

 

Damon loved challenging cases ... And this one was definitely taking the cake. 

 

With a quick salute to his boss, he gathered his files and set out, determined to shed light on the dark secrets lurking within the school's walls.

 

 

 

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