Hope was finally happy to be back with her family again. No more monsters, witches, wolves, vampires or anymore supernatural drama in her life. She was happy that her life had turned into that of a normal teenager's life and she was enjoying her gap year like anything. She had graduated with flying colours and had got an offer from Harvard University, and would be starting her classes this fall and nothing could stop her from being a normal teenager anymore. She won't let that happen. Never ever.

The summer was almost at its end and it was already August and her classes resumed from September. She had already made arrangements for her stay. She was in full on Freshman mode this year. Only a month more and she would be in college. Sometimes she couldn't believe her life had turned out to be this way. When she was in high school, she could never think of a day when she didn't crave this life. A life where her only concern will be to fair well in life and not hunt some monsters from folklores or get consumed by a bottomless pit when all her loved ones would forget about her existence.

She was currently standing behind the bar in Rousseau's. She had been bartending all summer there. She had started to like the job. She met so many new people around here. It was amazing to have a part time job like a normal teenager.

It was evening time and the customers had just started to flood in the streets of the French Quarter when she heard the sound of door bells jingle.

"May I help y..." Her voice got caught in her throat as she glanced at a very familiar face.

How could she ever forget that face? A face that kept her company when no face had been there only darkness.

But his getup had changed. The one piece suit had been replaced with a pair of blue jeans, white tshirt and blue zip up high neck jacket. The dress shoes gone for snickers. And the know it all smirk was replaced with an expression of confusion and distrust. His pale skin looked even paler than before and his lean build body had shrunk to an even leaner form.

"This can't be possible." Hope thought to herself as her eyes rolled over the person who was supposed to be dead two years ago.

She would deny the fact if ever asked, but she had actually mourned him for months. His last few words haunting her in her sleep. She would sometimes dream about him. Dreams where she would feel as if he was in pain and was crying out for help. Dreams where she would hear his voice.

I don't hate you.

If only he had asked for her help when he had the chance. But that idiot had to oil his ego at that time and attack her.

I'm jealous of you, Hope.

He was blabbering out his feelings. He was scared to die. She could understand it from the other side of the phone call.

You're just as screwed up as I am, but your friends still love you. I guess I wanted to believe my father could do the same.

She could practically hear his voice break at that time. She could feel the tear escaping his eye even with his hardest efforts to not allow that one single tear to even fall.

Merry Christmas, Hope.

And with that he had disconnected the call. She never knew what happened to him after that. He was supposed to jump into the portal of Malivore which had appeared in the town square. The next morning the portal had vanished and there was no sign left of Malivore after that. So she could be sure that he had gone through with his intention.

Then how was he here? Standing in the flesh in a bar owned by her family after all these years?