Disclaimers: I do not own TO or the characters.
Spoilers: season 4
Rating: T

Notes: Thank you to Boris Yeltsin for reviewing, and welcome to my new favoriter and follower, Correlle-bw. Here is the next chapter.

Notes 2: I think this is AU? Because technically, Hope is still Hope, and not the Hollow. This directly follows the end of last chapter. The dates are approximate but if anyone knows about what date it actually was, please let me know.

Enjoy. :)

May 25th, 2019

*15 minutes later*

Freya went to the dining room alright. But she didn't necessarily sit down to eat. She paces in the doorway while her siblings, Hayley, and Hope are in various stages of watching her and actually eating.

Elijah, in particular, is trying to get a read on his older sister. This is quite a change from Freya's opinion of Keelin while they were in the barn.

Klaus keeps one eye on his daughter, the other on Freya, while Rebekah is half eating, half watching everyone at once.

Hayley is trying to get Hope to eat, but the little girl is much more interested in watching her aunt. She does not know much about Jonathan, but she does know her aunt does not want Keelin anywhere near him.

Unfortunately, it was not only Freya who with Keelin the other night. Klaus was there, along with Hayley, Hope, Elijah, and Rebekah. They were all ahead of Keelin and Freya when Jonathan appeared, and they had watched the scene unfold.

"Sweetie," Hayley tries. "you need to eat before your breakfast goes–"

But Hope has other ideas, as she stands and makes her way over to Freya.

"Auntie Freya?"

Freya pauses in her pacing, bending down in front of her niece.

"Is that man going to hurt Keelin?"

It's an odd bond between the two, but Hope seems to have been quite attached to Keelin. And Jonathan's behavior frightened her. So it unsettles her that he is now here, at her home, and alone with her new favorite person.

"I don't know," Freya answers truthfully. "Keelin says he is a friend, and I know he scared you the other night…"

"He grabbed her arm, hard." Hope voices, the first she's spoken specifically of the incident.

Freya swallows around the lump suddenly in her throat, nodding to her niece's words.

"He did, yes."

"We shouldn't leave her with him then!" Hope shouts. "What if he hurts her again?"

She turns, tries to run, but Freya grabs her at the last second, though she struggles, and Hayley makes to get up herself. She shares a wide-eyed look with Klaus, not used to seeing their daughter so upset.

"Hope, don't–" Freya starts but is cut off by the sound of approaching footsteps. She looks up right as the girl in question is nearing them.

"–Keelin!" The seven-year-old manages to wiggle free and runs of the wolf, wrapping her arms around her waist. Keelin returns the hug even as she is looking to Freya, confused and startled.

"Hey, sweets." Keelin mouths what the hell to Freya. Then, she bends down so she can be eye-level. "What's going on?"

"I don't like that man." She states firmly. Keelin sees a bit of Freya in her. She can't help the smile.

"Oh, I know. That seems to be something you have in common with your aunt," Keelin looks pointedly at the Viking witch, who avoids her gaze steadily. "But, I promise, Jonathan is a friend. He is someone who is very protective of me, and that comes across, sometimes, as scary, and makes him seem like a bad person."

Sensing this may be quite a long conversation, Klaus stands from his chair at the head of the table. He pulls it back, and gently says,

"Keelin, why don't you have a seat?" He moves to the seat to the left, where Hope originally was, and Keelin sits, letting the youngest Mikaelson climb into her lap.

She has everyone's attention, especially Freya who moves to stand right next to her instead of sitting down herself. She rests her wrist on the back of the chair, the tips of her fingers brushing against Keelin's shoulder.

Hayley relaxes a bit herself, seeing her daughter is content to stay with Keelin while Rebekah and Elijah share a look before tuning into what Hope is saying.

"You say that… he's a friend."

"Yes. He is."

The little girl plays with Keelin's ring as she gathers her thoughts.

"He doesn't seem like a very nice friend. He grabbed your arm, hard. And he was yelling. And he wouldn't go away even when you told him to let go. Mommy says it isn't nice to not listen when someone asks you to leave them alone."

Her blue eyes gazing up at her tell Keelin they hold more knowledge than she's letting on. Which is why Keelin immediately looks up and meets Hayley's gaze. When she receives the permission she's silently asking for, she breathes in slowly.

She feels the shift in Freya, the brush of her fingertips becoming an actual hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she sees the concern in her eyes, and tries to give a reassuring smile.

"Hope, Jonathan is… He is my friend. My best friend, even. And I have told him many things about myself."

Hope leans back to look at her. "Does he know you're a wolf?"

"Yes," Keelin's lips quirk up in a half-smile. "He does know I am a wolf. He also knows what's been going on for the past several weeks. Especially," She releases a sigh, looking to Hayley again. "Especially about what happened in the barn."

"Mommy said they needed your venom." Hope states. "So that Auntie Freya could help Uncle Elijah and Auntie Bekah and Daddy."

Keelin nods. "That's right. They needed my venom. And I told Jonathan about it."

It's silent for a moment. Keelin waits for Hope's next question or comment. She finds herself unprepared for what the youngest Mikaelson says.

"They hurt you." It's whispered, more emotion packed into those three words than anything Keelin has head Hope say. She trails her fingers from Keelin's ring to her wrists, now healed but once covered in bandages from the cuts and rawness left by the Wolfsbane-laced chain-cuffs.

Keelin inhales slowly, letting her eyes fall closed. When she reopens them, she shakes her head as she sees Klaus is about to speak, probably to tell Hope this conversation doesn't need to be continued.

"Yes." She's truthful. No reason not to be. That's the whole point of this conversation.

"Yes, they did. But it was for a good reason, Hope, and I need you to understand that, ok? Your Auntie Freya made some bad choices, but they were made to be able to help your family."

A crinkle forms in Hope's brow. She seems to be thinking until finally…

"So… Auntie Freya did bad things, like hurting you, but for a good reason, to help Dad and our family?"

"Yes." Keelin exhales. "Yes, that is… That's right. And… I told Jonathan this. So now, he is worried about me. He is worried that…" She hates to say it. But she has to, doesn't she?

"He is worried I am going to get hurt again. He does not trust your Auntie Freya, even though I have told him I am no longer in danger here."

"How do you know?"

The gravely voice comes from above her, and startles her. She looks up to find stormy green eyes staring back at her with so many emotions flicking through them – sorrow, distress, a hint of the unidentifiable emotion from earlier… but most prominent, is regret.

And that is how Keelin knows. But, for Freya's sake, and everyone else's, she gives a verbal answer.

"Because I've seen it." Keelin looks around the table, at all the occupants who are listening intently, then back up to Freya. She reaches up and takes Freya's hand from the back of the chair, squeezing it.

"Because over the past few weeks you have all shown me that you are just like any other normal, protective, loving, and crazy family. You would do absolutely anything for each other, even some not so good things. And I understand that."

Hope sighs, leans back against her, plays with her ring again.

"So… why don't you tell your friend that we are not bad people? That Auntie Freya was just trying to help Dad and-and our family? Maybe then he wouldn't have to be so mean and scary!"

Keelin exhales a sort of laugh. Oh, if only it were that easy! She presses a kiss to the top of Hope's head, sighing.

"I have told him, sweets. About the crazy times you all have during dinner; about how you have movie nights several times a week, and how you all get a choice on which movie, but, most of your Uncle Elijah's are actually your mom's choices."

"Because Mom does the Mikaelson pout?"

"Absolutely because of that." Keelin grins.

"Did you tell him about me and Auntie Freya making pancakes?"

Oh, Keelin remembers that great fiasco. Three days ago, she was awoken by screams from somewhere in the house. She'd acted on instinct, running downstairs, and meeting everyone else outside the kitchen.

They entered the kitchen ready for a fight, and found something less… life-threatening.

Freya and Hope had decided to make pancakes for breakfast. They had the brilliant idea of putting the ingredients in a blender instead of a mixing bowl. This would not have been a problem had they also not forgotten to put the lid on the blender before pressing the button.

Everyone else had made it to the kitchen to find Freya and Hope, along with the kitchen counters around them, covered in raw pancake batter.

"No," Keelin answers. "I haven't told him about that part." She sighs. "But I have told him the other parts, many times. He just… He does not believe me. He has a hard time believing it. I told him the bad things that happens first, so he has hard time… believing that you guys can be good."

She hears footsteps descending, and snaps her head up. Freya is gone, and she startles. As she makes to follow Rebekah is already moving.

She subtlety leaves the room while Keelin's attention is drawn back to Hope.

"But we are good people." Hope looks up at her, and Keelin finds herself officially stuck.

Yeah. There is no way she can leave family, or Hope, behind.

"Yes, you are." The wolf responds with a finality in her voice. "You are very good people, and I promise you–" She lifts Hope's chin up to meet her eye. "–that I will make sure he understands that, ok? I know you are scared of him — what he did the other night was frightening, and it's ok to feel that way — but I promise you, Hope, that he will not hurt you. He will not come near you. Okay?"

It takes a moment, Keelin looks around. She's surprised Klaus hasn't said anything, especially about a few certain parts of this conversation. Before Hope can respond to Keelin, there's the sound of approaching footsteps. She turns to find Rebekah has come back; they make eye contact, and the message is clear.

Sighing, Keelin looks to Hope.

"Alright, sweets. I need to go check on your Auntie Freya; why don't you have your mom warm up your breakfast, and eat some while I'm gone?"

She looks to Hayley, silently asking her to agree, and Hayley gestures for Hope to come to her. Once she does, Keelin stands and slowly makes her way upstairs to Freya's bedroom.

"Freya." She knocks on the door. "Can I come in?"

"No. Go away."

Keelin sighs, resting her forehead against the wood.

She makes up her mind, then, and twists the doorknob, letting it swing open slowly. She waves a hand, checking for the boundary spell she knows Freya put on the room. It's most likely why Rebekah came back downstairs so soon.

"It's not for you."

Keelin smirks, figuring it out as soon as her hand breaks through the barrier of her doorway. She steps through, swinging the door shut behind her, and leaning against it.

"What happened down there?" She asks looking over Freya, from where she is laying on her bed, facing away.

"Nothing."

Keelin makes her way to Freya's side of the bed. "Freya. Look at me, please?" When Freya refuses, she scoots closer. "Freya…"

She reaches out to smooth back Freya's hair, and is surprised to see the tear-tracks on her cheeks, though for only a split second before she twists away.

"Hey!" Keelin reaches back out, swiping her hair to the side, softening her voice. "Freya, what is going on?" She wonders, vaguely, as she slides onto the floor next to the bed, if they are close enough yet for Keelin to demand Freya to talk to her.

She guesses the question was answered when Freya confirmed the boundary spell allowed her into the room. She doesn't want to think too much about it, though.

Keelin rests one arm on the edge of the bed, with her chin propped up. Her eyes trace over Freya's profile, threading her fingers through her curls, while she waits for the witch to respond.

"Freya," She whispers. "Please talk to me."

Finally, Freya shifts, turning her head towards Keelin. Her chest tightens as she sees darkened green eyes rimmed in red.

"Tell me what's going on, please?"

"He's right, you know." Freya sniffles. Keelin sighs. Honestly, she should have expected this. Freya is too good of a person for them not to have this moment.

"Freya…"

"He is, Keelin!"

"He's not!" Keelin stands, nudging her to the side, and sitting against her pillows. "Look at me." Freya moves to lay on her back. Her view of Keelin is upside down but she still meets her eye.

"Freya, I need you to listen to me. Ok?" She sighs. "I meant every word I said downstairs. What you did, it wasn't good. Any of it. And yeah, it probably could have gone a lot better, but what's done is done. You made some choices that were not so good, but you did it with the intent of helping your family. And that is exactly what you did. You did that, Freya. You helped Elijah and Klaus and Rebekah."

"I hurt you." Freya whispers. "She was right, Keelin. I hurt you. Multiple times. And I didn't even care!"

"But you do now!" She sits up, thumbing away the tears on Freya's cheeks, and keeping her hands there. "You do now, and that's what matters. We can't go back and change it, honey; we can only move forward. You have apologized, and I have forgiven you, and you have shown me what a good person you are. No matter what other people may say, or what you think about yourself, you are a good person, Freya Mikaelson, and if I have to spend every day telling you that, then I'll do exactly that!"

Freya rests her forehead against Keelin's knee, and she wraps one arm around her.

"You should hate me, Keelin." She whispers.

"Well, I don't." Keelin states definitively and without hesitation. "And I'm not going to start. So don't you dare ask me to."

She brushes her fingers through Freya's hair, rubbing slow circles on her back, and hopes it's at least a little soothing.

Idk guys. What do you think? The only interaction between Keelin and Hope that I saw when when Hope was the Hollow, so I don't know if Keelin would even have a nickname for her?

And I tried to get close to Hope's personality but again, I haven't actually watched much. So I tried to balance between what I did see and a "normal" 7-year-old.

Please let me know what you thought. :)

I am unable to work on any of my other stories due to a corrupted flashdrive. And I have a few ideas for future chapters. So let me know if you want a chapter 3 (or more), and I will make a solid updating schedule.