"Wake up, love!" I heard Bex' voice waking me up and she drew the curtains which caused me to scrunch up my face and put the pillow on it as I groaned annoyingly. Why did she have to wake me up that early? It wasn't like here was already enough noise that came from dad killing or fighting against people or all the people who lived here.

"Bex, please, I thought you'd love me." I whined dramatically and removed the pillow of my face. "And why do I have to wake up already? I don't even go to school. And guess why? Because of dad."

"You know he just do that because he loves you." Bex smiled lightly as she took the blanket away, so I would have to get up. "And he has a little surprise for you today. So come on, get up. Breakfast is ready."

"Why do y'all even eat if you are vampires..." I muttered while getting up and walking to my bath room. Yeah, I was the only human in this house. Actually, I am even a witch but dad got me a necklace, so I wouldn't be able to use my power. Dahlia, my evil but dead now grandaunt, had warned him that I wouldn't be able to control myself, the power would overwhelm me. The same thing had happened to my aunt Freya and she just could control it because Dahlia had taught her. Now she traveled trough the world with Jackson, an old friend of our family. And I haven't triggered my werewolf curse yet, dad and mum don't allow me to kill anyone which was understandable. And because of my vampire side, although it wasn't strong, I couldn't get sick and I could heal, not fast but better than nothing. I probably won't age much anymore, dad had said that I'd age till I was an adult and then it would probably stop. I didn't know what happened if I died tho and dad also didn't want to test it.

I looked at the mirror while Bex left my room. My brown hair was kinda a mess and there were dark circles around my blue- grey eyes. I took the hairbrush to brush my long hair. Although I looked tired, I was still good-looking, thanks to my handsome dad and my beautiful mum. After I got ready, I put on a black skinny jeans and a white t-shirt with a black leather jacket, then I walked downstairs to the dining table where everyone was already sitting and waiting for me. Dad, mum, Elijah and Bex. This time just family. Before I sat down, I gave mum and dad a kiss on the cheek and smiled at them.

"Morning, weirdos." I greeted them and took a seat next to dad. Elijah smiled benignly about that while Bex rolled playfully with her eyes and mum and dad just smirked.

"Morning, sweetheart." Dad greeted me back and smiled brightly at me. I loved him and mum so much and I was so happy that they were my parents. My grandparents sucked, actually just paternal. Neither my mum nor I knew her parents.

"Hey, Hope." Mum and Elijah said and Bex started to eat some fruits. When I spotted the waffles with blueberry, I took a plate of them immediately. Dad started laughing at me as I ate them quickly.

"Hungry much?" He asked mockingly.

"You know I love food, dad." I rolled my eyes playfully. Elijah and mum talked to each other and Bex was on the phone, probably texting Marcel. "And at least I can taste it to 100% in comparison to an original hybrid." I added teasingly.

"Mean. Take that back." He made a fake offended face. "Behave yourself, young lady." Dad said teasingly as he let a servant get him a blood bag and pour it into a glass. Since I could think, he started to drink as often as possible from blood bags. It didn't matter to me if he drank it straight from the vein or not, I had seen a lot worse.

"As you wish, my King." I couldn't hold my sarcasm back. "By the way, where are Caroline and Marcel?" I grabbed after my glass and took a sip of the orange juice.

"She's working in my art gallery right now. You know how she likes to take control over things." A little smile appeared on his lips when he talked about her. "And Marcel is... Well, dear sister, where's your husband at the moment? Escaping from you?" Dad looked at Rebekah and the old him was back for a moment. Bex glared at him.

"Actually, he's busy with Davina. But that's probably a lie and he just couldn't stand you anymore." She faked a smile and I knew that she wanted to show him her middle finger.

"If you believe it, then it must be certainly true." Dad nodded provokingly and Bex got slightly annoyed.

"You're so right. So it also must be true that you're afraid that Caroline says No if you propose to her and that is why, you two are still not married although you are dating for how long? 5 years?" Bex pretended to think. Ouh, shots fired.

"Do you and Marcel get divorced? I really do feel sorry for him." I could notice how he tried to ignore his sister's statement although it hurt him a lot.

"Shut up, you son of a - "

"Sister." Elijah interrupted her quickly but still in a calm way. "Language, please." My aunt shot dad a last glare but let it be and paid her attention to her phone again. Sometimes my uncle was really cool. Mum scoffed and muttered something like "Typical family moment". She was right, actually everyone argued a lot with dad but me. We didn't fight much.

"I'm 17, curse words are not bad for me, Lijah." I stated and chuckled as he smiled a bit.

"You can be lucky to be an only child, Hope." Dad grinned. "Siblings can be a pain in the ass." Elijah and Rebekah rolled with their eyes about this.

"I can just agree, dear brother." Bex spat and then she stood up. "I'm looking for Marcel. Maybe I can help him with his Davina problem. See you tomorrow. Or not." The last thing was definitely for my dad but he ignored it.

"Good luck, Bex" I wished her and she smiled and gave me a little hug before she left. She will probably stay at her and Marcel's house tonight which was just a few streets away from our house. Mum's and Elijah's house was across from ours, just Caroline, dad and I lived here. But we always met for breakfast or dinner, Elijah had said it would strengthen the family bond.

"We're going, too." Mum felt guilty about leaving me. But I knew why she wanted to leave. My 18th birthday was in two weeks and as I knew mum and dad, they might do something big again and that's why, mum was gone for the last days while dad had the task to distract me. They really thought I wouldn't notice that.

"It's okay, mum. Just go." I gave her a kiss on her cheek after standing up and walking to her. "I'll just spend my time with dad again. Won't be the worst."

"Oh, come on, we both know that you enjoy spending time with me as much as I do." Dad smirked.

"I seriously don't wanna know what you do if you spend time with yourself, dad." I scrunched up my face jokingly and he laughed as mum did. Elijah just let out a little chuckle, he didn't laugh often. "Have fun with whatever, mum."

"See you later, sweetie." Then mum and Lijah left and I walked around the table to put my hands on dad's shoulder.

"So... What now, dad? Are you gonna teach me how to rip people's head off? Or a 'How-to-take-revenge-on-my-enemies' lesson? Or even painting? You choose." I put my arms around his neck from behind and gave him a hug while I smirked.

"Hilarious, Hope." He chuckled as he rolled with his eyes. "But I won't teach you how to kill someone. Also not how to be a monster. You're my little sunshine. I don't let you be something like me."

"Dad, what did I tell you about you calling yourself a monster? Everyone can- "

" -can be a monster, but also a hero, it's your decision." He quoted me and sighed. "Your eternal optimism can be annoying sometimes."

"Says the one who named his child literally Hope." I said sarcastically and my chin lay on his head which caused a chuckle of his mouth.

"What did you offer? Painting, right?" He smirked. I rolled with my eyes and sighed. Don't give up, Hope, and take a deep breath, I told myself and took a deep breath.

"Dad... You know I'm about to become 18 in two weeks. And I'm at least 17 now and I also really appreciate that you use Josh as my bodyguard although the reasons for that are that he's gay, so he won't fall in love with me or I with him and that he's an old friend. And I know, I'm your everything and that you just do that because you love me. But I wanna be free and independent. I live here since I was born but I still haven't even left the French Quarter. Or I was never alone outside. Please, just let me be free." I stood next to him and looked at him as he looked up to me. The silence was fierce and I bit on my lower lip.

"You're right." He nodded as he stood up. "I do love you. Where are the brushes and the easel?" He looked around and ignored the other part of my speech. "Do you want to paint on the balcony? If you rather wanna play the violin, then you have to wait for Elijah. I mean, he's the one who basically plays all instruments." Dad laughed lightly.

"Dad, please." I groaned and followed him when he walked upstairs. "Don't treat me like Rapunzel! Why am I not allowed to be free? Nothing bad can happen!"

"Hope, we already had this discussion, you won't leave this house without me, a family member or Josh. And I'm not gonna change that rule. Your safety is the most important thing to me." His voice got more serious and even a bit stricter.

"And what's about my happiness?" I asked in a lower voice and we walked into the art room.

"If your happiness means that you're in danger..." He didn't finish the sentence which meant no.

"Okay, let's paint then." I sighed and tried not to sound sad while I grabbed after a brush and some colours. I didn't want him to feel guilty, he already felt guilty that he had been such a horrible father in my first years. I hadn't got to see him a lot till I was four years old because he had had to fight against a lot enemies and meanwhile Freya and Jackson had taken care of me.

"Hope, don't be sad, okay?" He muttered when he saw me just looking down to the ground.

"I'm happy, dad." I smiled brightly at him although it was forced. "I'm happy that I have still parents and a family that loves me so much. And that you are my dad. We'll always be a family. Like mum says, always and forever."

He smiled lightly, then he started to paint. Of course, I was actually happy about my life. But I hated this cage, I wasn't a little bird or a fragile thing that should stay behind glasses. I'm Hope Mikaelson. And I needed a plan. Maybe I could try to convince mum to talk to him. Bex and dad were not on good terms right now and Elijah sadly agreed with his brother about my safety. I just needed to know how to start the topic "rules" carefully and then mum would hopefully agree with me.

"Mum! Dad doesn't allow me to be free and still wanna keep me in this damn house which is like a cage for me! Do you get it?! I'm Rapunzel and he's the old and strict stepmother! Don't wanna insult him tho, I still love him. But it just sucks, I'm not a fragile thing! I can take care of myself and I'm also an adult soon, but he's too stubborn to see that! Can you please talk to him, pleaseeeee?!" I begged her as she walked into my room. Her eyes were widen and she was surprised.

"Hope, sweetie, please calm down first, I just walked in." She almost laughed and sat down on my bed next to me. "So it's the same problem that we have since forever?"

I nodded. "You have to understand me, please, do understand me or I'll start to hate this place. Mum, I'm just really outside once a month and I'm not even alone. I always get bodyguards and actually, I can protect myself. I'm not the little Hope anymore."

"Your dad would cry if he heard that." Mum chuckled about my last words, then she sighed. "I can't promise you anything, but I'll try to talk to him, okay? And now, go to Elijah, your violin lesson starts."

"Thank you so much, you're the coolest mum ever!" I smiled as I pulled her into a tight hug. "And yes, see you later!" I stood up and left my room to go to the music room where Elijah already waited for me. His dark brown eyes smiled as much as his lips when he spotted me.

"We can start now!" I lilted happily and took my old violin that was on the shelf. Since I was eight years old, uncle Elijah had taught me how to play the violin and he succeeded. My violin skills were actually pretty good and dad loved hearing me playing the violin or singing.

"Why so happy?" Elijah wanted to know and he took the sheet music. He was gonna teach me how to play Beethoven's 5 Secrets.

"No proper reasons." I lied because he agreed with dad about my 'freedom'. "I'm actually just happy that you are all here and alive. But Kol." I really wanted to meet the funniest person in our big family.

"We'll find a way to bring him back. I promise." Lijah said and glanced seriously at me. Always when he promised something, I know that he will keep it or at least do anything to keep it. Although I knew that he and Kol hadn't had the best relation, Lijah still loved him as his brother.

"Thank you, Lijah!" I smiled and hugged him quickly and he hugged me back. He was such a caring uncle and a good friend. But, and I know it's weird, my best friend was my own dad. Even tho we didn't always have the same opinion, I could talk with him about almost everything.

"And now, let's play." He smirked lightly and I agreed. We practised for an hour and I could play it pretty well, it was easy for me. The music was connected with me, it was a part of me. Every time when I play, I lose myself and forget my problems. Everyone could hear the melody in the whole house, but nobody complained about it. Everyone knows that I always play the violin. When the lesson was over, Elijah said that he was proud of my skills which made me kinda blush.

"By the way, Stefan and Elena are coming to visit us today." He let me know as he put the sheet music away.

"Really? That's awesome!" I loved Stefan as much as I loved to tease him and make fun of his animal feeding. Especially about bunnies. And he wasn't even mad at me for that, he laughed about it. But Elena... I don't know, I just didn't like her that much. I couldn't find a connection to her and I had the feeling that she didn't like me much either. "When will they arrive?"

"They'll eat dinner with us, when Caroline will come back from the art gallery."

"Okay. I can't wait for it!" I needed to google bunny jokes. "And I look for dad now, I need to talk to him." Then I left the room and walked to dad's room. Mum should have convinced him by now, I hoped it worked. But then I heard loud screams. Rage. Mum and dad were fighting again. I actually didn't want to eavesdrop, but I couldn't resist when I heard that it was about me. I decided to walk as quiet as possible to the room and waited outside, right next to the door.

"Are you insane?! If we let her go out by herself, she would die!" Dad yelled angrily at her and I cringed. If dad yells, then it's really loud.

"If we don't let her out, she'll be unhappy here, Klaus! At the place that she calls home! Do you want this?! She's our daughter, we can't put her behind glass like an object! Give her more freedom!" Mum screamed back and she almost sounded as angry as dad.

"There are a lot of my enemies outside! If she died, I could never forgive that myself! And she's at least safe here and not alone!"

"So when do you wanna let her be free, huh?! In a decade?! In a century?! Stop being such a control freak, Klaus, and let her make her own decisions!" I could imagine how mum glared at dad right now. Please, stop fighting because of me, I thought.

"Just over my dead body! She will never leave this place without any protection, NEVER!" He yelled really loud now and I was as speechless as mum. That literally meant never, because he's immortal. And I knew that he was serious. The words felt like a fist in my stomach and I needed time to realise everything. I would never get out of here. I would never be free. I would always be stuck in here. I didn't know what mum answered because I forced my feet to run. I needed to leave this place, I needed to get out of here. Luckily, nobody had seen me when I ran to the exit, but then I spotted Josh and he me. Crap.

"Hope, what are you doing?" He asked confused.

"Josh, please tell nobody that I'm about to leave." I trembled with fear and anger. Not a good mixture. "Please, do me the favour, okay?"

"What?! No, no, I can't." He shook his head. "Klaus will kill me if I do. Let me at least go with you as always. So you won't be in danger. By the way, what happened?"

"A lot." I cut the story short. "Please, Josh, please. I'm begging you, please. I can't stand this place anymore." My voice sounded broken and I was desperate. Josh noticed that and sighed. It was an advantage that he was emotional and kind.

"Fine. Just promise me you'll try to be safe." He looked with his worried look at me.

"I promise." I nodded. "Thank you, Josh." Then I ran out of the house and the night of New Orleans was in front of me. Bye, cage. Hello, freedom. The music and atmosphere of the French Quarter was in the air and for one second, I enjoyed it. But then I remembered that I was escaping so I kept running away. The streets were crowded with tourists and inhabitants, everywhere were people who played music and sang and danced. I almost got lost in the crowd and kept running without a real aim. Although I wasn't allowed to do that, it felt good. It felt like freedom if there wasn't also the fear of getting caught. I didn't have money. Not even my phone. I shouldn have planned this better.

I didn't know how long I had run, but it was a long time. And in the second where I didn't pay attention because I looked around if someone would follow me, I accidentally bumped into a person. Because of the hard chest, I knew that it was a guy and not a girl.

"Be careful, girl." The guy said kinda annoyingly and I immediately apologised without looking at him.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't pay attention!" I spluttered and looked at him because if I didn't, it would be impolite. Elijah had taught me that. And now I saw the guy. Black hair, as black as the feathers of a raven. And ice blue eyes, really like ice. He wasn't that tall but still taller than me and he wore a black leather jacket. He looked actually really attractive.

"Yeah, I could clearly see that." He responded and rolled with his eyes.

"What?" I narrowed my eyes and was surprised by his words.

"Are you deaf? I said I could clearly see that." Okay, scratch the attractive part, he was an arrogant jerk. I regretted that I had apologised to him, he didn't deserve that. The feeling of anger came up but I tried to be nice. Kind of.

"And I can clearly see that you're a dick." I faked a smile. We stood in the middle of the crowd and were the only ones who didn't move.

"Well, you're not the first one who has called me like that." He shrugged and didn't care much. He seemed to be a really moody guy.

"Wonder me why." I said sarcastically. "I bet people just call you like that."

A fake smile appeared on his thin lips. "People actually call me Damon."