HELLO! So this is my attempt at the life Hope would know with her family minus Klaus. This is all made up and I honestly have no idea if it fits in well with where the show is going, however, I like to believe that this is a realistic approach her family takes with giving Hope a normal human life and I'd like to believe that due to Hope's enhanced awareness we see on the show, that she would remember what has happened in her life and choose to keep her knowing a secret from her family so as to not spoil their attempts,

Dear Dad,

I've read your letter and let me tell you something, I will mourn you. I know I have an excellent family that I love with all my heart, but they aren't you. I remember you Dad, and I know and understand what you did to save us. The family doesn't know I know, and I do know it all, including what and who I am. The world's first witch-hybrid, but more importantly I am your daughter. And I need my Dad.

"Mom, have you seen my new jeans" Hope shouted as she popped her head out of the upstairs bathroom.

"They should be in the basket downstairs" Hayley called up the stairs.

"Thanks"! She called back as she towel dried a section of her shower soaked hair.

"Oi, it's a bit early in the morning for you to be shouting, don't you think"? A voice called in back of her, causing her to whirl around.

"Uncle Kol!" She called as she ran into his open arms. "When did you get in?"

"Late last night" Kol said with a grin. Hope laughed and gave him a little shove.

"So in other words, "Hope shut it so my hungover arse can get back to the sac?!" Kol ruffled her still wet hair at this.

"Hey, language my dear sweet niece" Kol retorted. Instead of a verbal response, Hope took off down the hallway back to the bathroom. She rounded the corner and as she was closing the door she shot her Uncle Kol her best death glare and flipped him the bird. Kol simply chuckled and receded back into his bedroom to get some shut eye.

Back in the bathroom, Hope got ready for her day then she made her way downstairs to indulge in her completely human breakfast that her mother and Uncle Elijah had prepared. They didn't know she knew about them but she understood their secrets, having firsthand experience with the evils of the supernatural world. She remembered the attempts the witches and her own grandmother had made on her life, remembered and comprehended even from inside the womb. And that was her dark secret, her burden to bear. She couldn't tell them, how could she? Tell her family, who had made every effort to give her a normal, happy, human life, that she knew exactly what they all were and the actions they had all taken, her father included, to protect her. The witch-hybrid. All they told her was that she was a witch. They couldn't quite hide that one from her since her powers surfaced almost immediately, giving her the potential title of most powerful witch in history, with power capable of sustaining an entire coven for generations. She even took witch lessons with Freya in hopes of gaining control over her magic. Kol participated when he was around. But those lessons would be after school and all of her extra-curricular activities. For now, she sat at the kitchen table, her hair and makeup done yet still in her purple and white flower pjs. It was a tradition of hers, part of her daily routine which always garnered smirks from her family, especially her Uncle Elijah. She still remembers the day, all those years ago, when she had cried out of embarrassment into his shoulder when she emerged for breakfast in her pj's and realized her uncle was wearing a suit. She was five. He rubbed soothing circles on her back as he held her and assured her that "little one" it was more than alright for her to be in her pajamas at breakfast and joked that he even slept in a suit", which was quite true if you counted his time daggered in his coffin, another fact she shouldn't know. She knew that every time he smirked at her at breakfast they were remembering the same morning.

Breakfast this morning was delicious. Belgian waffles and all the proper fixings, yogurt topped with granola, bacon, fresh fruit salad, coffee, and her family surrounding her at the table, including Kol. Her time in the bathroom given him plenty of time to wake up and make his way to the table before her. Hope liked to look presentable and had a knack for fashion. She knew her father was an artist, a painter and that she was not an artist of the visual variety, at least not without a computer. Her preferred forms of visual art were Graphic Design, a class she excelled at, and her clothing, expressing herself through fashion. And that of course meant that her hair and makeup choices had to match the style of clothing she picked out for the day. She didn't have one preferred style, choosing her outfits instead by the emotions she felt on that given day. Today she felt happy, the way she always felt when she had an audition for the school musical so she would dress for the occasion. In her new jeans, yes she bought them for her audition, her favorite heeled boots and the new cream and pink flowered shirt she had bought last week. Elijah took notice of the shirt she laid out on her bed when he passed by her open door that morning. He had picked up on her routine and how her choice of clothing usually reflected her mood. He also knew her audition was today. He was, after all, the one who always helped her prepare for her auditions. He spoke up as she took her first bite of the waffle he had made her.

"So Hope, the big day is today, How are you feeling?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous"

"You always say you're nervous yet you always manage to land the role you want, and your performance is always fantastic" Kol offered.

"Well I do believe someone is a bit biased, but yes I am nervous okay? I always am. It never really goes away. As the great Eric Whitacre once said "the terror of performing never goes away. Instead you get very, very comfortable being terrified." The entire table chuckled at this. "And besides this is the biggest role I've ever auditioned for and it's my last show at this school."

"Don't remind me. How are you already a senior?" Her mother asked.

"I ask myself that every day" Hope answered, avoiding the topic of age as she always did, knowing it was obviously touchy for her family as they didn't age. Hope never questioned it, a fact her family was grateful for.

"Have you picked out your audition outfit yet?" Rebecca asked.

"I'd be shocked to learn that she hasn't" Elijah joked.

"Yes, Auntie Beks as Uncle Eli graciously pointed out, I always have my audition outfits planned well in advance."

"Actually, I detect a lie" Elijah spoke up to which he earned a hard glare from his niece "Well, not a lie but a… a mistruth. Now normally you have said audition outfits planned well in advance but, do correct me if I'm wrong, those new jeans you were looking for earlier this morning were purchased yesterday, if memory serves me right."

"Actually dear Uncle, I have in fact had this outfit planned for weeks. I saw those jeans in H&M's online Fall newsletter and knew they would go perfectly with the shirt I has spotted at Marshall's that same day. I only had to save up enough money before I could purchase both but believe me I had this outfit thoroughly detailed, down to the accessories."

"Well, I apologize" Elijah said with his signature smirk.

"What show are you putting on this year?" Hayley asked as she sipped her coffee.

"Les Miserable" Hope said, sounding extremely excited. " And, not a surprise I am sure, I'm auditioning for Eponine"

"You'll get it" Kol said, followed by Elijah saying "I have all the faith in the world you will". Her family knew her well. Eponine was her favorite character and it's not like she had sobbed uncontrollably every time she watched said movie version or listened to the soundtrack or anything. That was something she needed to look into. Her emotions, and more specifically the emotions that seemed to roll off of everyone she knew. For now she would have to be content with going to school, rocking the audition and then her tutoring sessions, of which she was the tutor. Paid to tutor History, her favorite subject. There were most certainly worse things in life.