The Family Tree
By: Nikasilva
Disclaimer: I do not own the show or its characters.
A/N: Sorry I haven't written in a while, it's been a crazy year. With that said I will be trying my best by uploading a new chapter every Wednesday. Hope you enjoy!
Something was off, when Hope enter her home after staying the night with Haley and Jackson. What Hope couldn't tell was whether it was her own nerves or of those who resided in the house, maybe it was both. Hope was about to head to her room when she spotted Coryna in her study.
"Hey" Hope said softly leaning against the doorway.
Coryna looked up and immediately felt the small glimpse of fear in her eyes "I heard about what happened at the Mikaelson home. I'm sorry you had to see that"
"Cor, what happened?"
"Sam was manipulated into searching for Dahlia's layer. He found it and barely escaped with his life." She paused for a moment "Don't look at Jasper to differently, he is still the same big brother you always knew."
"Is he? … I mean, who was he before I met him, who were you?"
Coryna walked up to Hope and place her hands on her shoulders "Jasper and I couldn't be more different if we tried, but after we found each other and the others we became our better versions of ourselves. Know this, no matter what happens now or in the future, we will always be there for you."
Hope took a deep breath and shook away some of her nerves. She a Coryna then started to talk about what it was like spending the night with Haley and Jackson as well as other small things that popped in her head. They were so in-depth with their own conversation they didn't even notice Elijah walking into the room.
"May I have a word?"
"Elijah" Coryna said acknowledging his presence.
"Hi uncle Elijah"
"Hope, would you mind if I spoke to Coryna alone?"
"Can't I stay?"
"I think it may be best if you didn't" Coryna answered. Hope left the study, but remained close enough to hear what they were saying to each other.
"What do I owe the honor of the noble Elijah gracing me with his presence."
"We need to speak about the events that occur last night. That should have never happened."
"I agree, to fight that way in front of Hope was not acceptable. No need to worry, I have already spoken to Jasper about this." She replied with a hit of power in her voice.
"This more than fighting in front of Hope, this is about a level of respect, which seems to me that your family has a significant lack of."
"That is where we disagree. I do not approve of how Jasper went about it, but he had every right to be furious, when your brother put one of our own in danger. I have no respect for you or your family and more that you have for mine, the only reason I tolerate the likes of you is because of Hope. Now if that is all, I think you should leave." Coryna felt a rage fill up inside her, but to make sure she didn't act upon it, she made her way to her desk and started to fill out some paperwork.
Elijah was about to leave, but noticed the paper Coryna was writing in was titled 'School Enrolment Form'. "I doubt this is the time for you to be applying for an education."
"I see you are still here. If you must know, this is for Hope, not myself." Coryna stated without meeting his gaze.
"Your sending Hope to school?"
"Would you rather her be illiterate?"
"I would rather her to be kept safe."
Coryna stopped what she was doing and meet Elijah's gaze and demanded "Do not undermined my care for Hope. I have raised he since the day she came into my care, I know what will or will not keep her out of harm's way. The less she is around all this the better. She needs a life that isn't constantly focused on alliances and battle strategies."
"You are not her family, she's ours. When the time comes, we will take her back permanently and all your rules and regulations when mean nothing."
Coryna suddenly became face to face with Elijah "I am going to make this very clear. There is nothing more that will give me pleasure that wiping you out of my existence."
"Do not underestimate me Coryna." He demanded matching the hatred in her own voice.
"My dear Elijah, I am one of the only vampires that see past that precious nobility of yours. Your word maybe you bound, but you know how just to manipulate it to fit your own needs and desires. You are just as much of a monster as Klaus is, maybe even worse since you know how to mask it."
"One day this little truce of ours will run out and it will be your ruin"
"For once we are in agreement. Now…Get…Out…Of...My…Home" their stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity, both with the same intensity. The in a quick second Elijah was gone and Coryna couldn't help but look to the ceiling.
Hope was still in her spot listening to every word that had transpired between her cousin and uncle. At first glance, Hope had thought her brother and father had the worst of the two relationships, but now she realizes just how wrong she was. The hatred Jasper and Klaus had for each other was as transparent as glass, but Coryna and Elijah had a hatred for each other far deeper than that. The only thing was they knew how to hide it under civility and that could only last so long.
Hope loved her family both biological and not, but the more she sees them interact with each other, the more she questions how much does she really know them. And at times it makes her regret asking Coryna and Jasper to move to New Orleans because she feels like soon she will either have to choose between them or watch them kill each other until there is one family standing. The real question was what will happen next.
