Rebekah staggered on her feet as she fell through the doorway of the motel she was staying at. A simple trip to buy baby milk had turned into a mission of stealth when she had recognised some of marcels goons following her, unable to fight due to carrying Hope in her arms she had been forced to flee, speeding for mile after mile until she could be sure she was far enough away that they would have lost track of her. Waiting in a cheap greasy café until nightfall before flitting back to the motel.
She didn't waste time with resting, instead she began hauling the few things they had gathered into her car and left, driving blind as to a destination and too worried about staying alive to care. They ended up two states over from where they had left, another motel, another day of constant vigilance and looking over her shoulder…All whilst learning how to mother her brothers baby girl. Hope was admittedly not a fussy child, she rarely cried and slept most of the time…But Rebekah wasn't stupid, she knew the older the child got the more stability she would need…Things like a school, a family, maybe a pet. She deserved the childhood Rebekah and her brothers were robbed of, she deserved a life away from this hell- a life that killed her family, which destroyed any shred of light that got too close to the darkness, a life that refused even the smallest scrap of affection.
No, Hope deserved better…She deserved everything that her brother had offered to the wrench back in mystic falls- music, art, beauty…Hope deserved a chance to be happy and loved. And even though Rebekah loved the child, even though her father would die for her…It wasn't enough. Not when they were continually hunted and followed, the word had spread that Rebekah had the girl, only the vampires living away from society didn't know Hope was alive and with Klaus's sister.
'And that's the problem' the blonde mused to herself whilst pacing the small length of threadbare carped in the darkened room, watching the child who slept in the car seat at her feet "as long as you're with me, you're in danger…So maybe you shouldn't be" she spoke softly to the sleeping child, the idea of surrendering the girl making her eyes sting and chest tighten, an impossible and stupid idea, who would she even go to? No one in New Orleans, and she scarce knew anyone else apart from the people back in mystic falls…And she wouldn't trust them with a puppy, let alone a child…Especially not Klaus's child. Squatting down Rebekah stopped to gaze at the child, a sorry soft look on her young pretty face "sorry, Love. Looks like you're…" stopping half way through she had a sudden wild thought that came from her brothers favourite endearment 'Caroline' easily the most humane vampire Rebekah had ever met, Klaus had thought her good enough to fall in love with, smart and capable she started to look like a perfect fit the more Rebekah stopped to consider the idea…Everyone had known Caroline had wanted a family, husband, baby, the whole thing. And she could have it now, all Rebekah had to do was convince her. It made sense, everyone knew Klaus had promised her he would stay away…No one would think he would entrust Hope to her, and it was a risk, Rebekah wasn't even sure if her brother would go for the idea. So as the darkened midnight sky began to fade into a rosy hued dawn she paced and thought, mentally planning financial and technical aspects for Caroline and Hope in the event it all played out, planning her reasoning with Klaus. When she had finally prepared all she could think too she dialled a number and raised the phone to her ear.
He sounded friendly and sweet when he answered, and Rebekah wondered how long he would stay that way "Baby sister, how are you? And more importantly how is my daughter?" 'Of course' she smiled, what else would the doting father focus on?
"She's fine, I'm fine…But there's a problem, Marcel's goons have my trail, I don't know how much longer I can keep her safe, I think it might be time to find an alternative plan" she ranted quickly, hoping beyond all hopes that her bother would stay at least semi calm.
His tone was hassled and sharp when he responded "such as? I'm open to alternative plans if you have one, but this was our plan…It was our only plan" and for a moment she heard the disappointment and sorrow in his voice at the obvious failure of something they had so desperately been hoping to work
Sighing in preparation Rebekah steeled herself up "actually, I do. Caroline, if we can convince her to take and hide Hope then she will be safe. The goons will continue following me, and Caroline and Hope will be free to live whilst everything is sorted out" and as the blonde listened to the silence on the line she wondered if it was from the logic of the plan, or the sound of Caroline's name.
"I promised not to drag her back into my world" he said finally, and Rebekah sighed, already having anticipated the argument "I know. But we both know she will understand this" and they both knew how true those words were, Caroline would never allow any baby to be in danger for no reason, despite what promises were made. "Really? Protecting mine and Haley's child…She hates Haley, what makes you think she will ever even consider it?" he argued, desperation and misery setting in, and Rebekah understood why, it wasn't just worry for his daughter, he loved Caroline, and ruining her life all over again wasn't what he wanted "she won't blame Hope for her mother. Just like she doesn't blame you for Michael…Caroline has always wanted to be a mother…And she will take whatever is given to her. Even if it is just for a while" 'please agree, I can't do this and keep her safe anymore' she begged internally whilst she listened to her brother's silence as he thought.
He blew out a weary sigh "okay. But don't push her, convince her as well as you can…But do not compel or force her to" he bit at his sister, harsher than he meant to be, upset and angry that yet again the responsibility for his daughter was with somebody else.
That day Rebekah started driving, and she didn't stop for three days straight. The only stops were to feed and change Hope and the final stop when they reached Caroline's front porch…Then the real challenge begun.