Evelyn placed a hand over her bleeding wound and sat down on the small set of stairs that led to the bedroom, looking down at Hope's unconscious body. She felt so guilty for what she'd done, but she knew, in the end, it was the right thing to do. Suddenly, Evelyn heard scuffling at the door as it flew open; Josie, Lizzie, and Alaric burst into the room. They stopped short when they saw Evelyn, and then saw Hope.

"Glad you could make it," Evelyn muttered.

Evelyn pulled herself up, only for her legs to give out on her, grabbing onto the counter before she fell. Lizzie went for Hope while Alaric and Josie went over to Evelyn. Josie made Evelyn take a seat on one of the stools as Alaric pried her hand away to feel the sore bite, blood staining the skin around it.

"What happened?" Lizzie asked, looking from Hope to Evelyn. "She's out cold."
"I ingested something that would knock out even a tribrid, and when she bit me it went into her system. We only have a few hours, so we need to get her back to the school before she wakes up," Evelyn explained.

She tried to get up from the chair but Josie pushed her back down. "No, you stay put. You've lost a lot of blood and need to relax."

"What's our plan?" Lizzie asked. "Kaleb and Jed are dealing with the Argus and MG is keeping watch of the school, we're all we got."

"We get Hope into the cell in the basement. It will keep her safe until we can figure something out," Alaric explained, looking toward each of his daughters. "I'll grab Hope, you two help Evelyn up; we're going home."

After Evelyn was able to stand, Josie and Lizzie, helped her up. Then with a spell, the three teleported back to the school. Alaric put Hope in the cell, locking the door with multiple locks just to be safe. Evelyn was again taken to the infirmary for an infusion and bandages. Lizzie and Josie went to inform the others of Hope's return as Evelyn sat alone with her IV stand. Well, until a knock sounded on the door.

Evelyn turned to find Ethan standing in the doorway meekly. "How are you feeling?"

"Weak but I'll live," Evelyn sighed. "I've ended up in this room way too many times in the last month."

"I'm sorry," Ethan said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"It's not your fault, It's my own, well, maybe except for Henry, he's just a dick," Evelyn said, laughing under her breath. "I chose to turn Hope into the tribrid, so anything that has happened afterward is my own doing."

"If you hadn't, the school would've been destroyed," Ethan pointed out.

Evelyn nodded. "I know and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. But because of my actions, I broke Hope. I made her flip the switch."

"You didn't make her do anything," Ethan insisted, grabbing my hand in his. "She chose to turn it off. Just because you made her the tribrid, doesn't mean Hope turning off her emotions is your fault."

"You weren't there, Ethan. You didn't see her. She doesn't care if people get hurt as long as she gets what she wants," Evelyn muttered, looking down at her feet.

Ethan moved his head into her line of view so she would look at him. "She made her decision and that's not on you. Whatever she may or may not have done is not your fault."

"Doesn't feel that way."

Hope woke up with gravel digging into her cheek. She sat up quickly looking around frantically at the basement she knew well. Hope noticed a few figures standing on the other side of the bars and one, in particular, brought all the memories rushing back.

"So, you're against me as well," Hope muttered.

Evelyn stepped out of the shadows, shaking her head. "I was never against you, Hope. I was willing to try staying by your side to slowly get through to you, but when you willingly left Ryan to die, I just couldn't do it anymore. You gave me no choice."

Hope appeared just before the bars, causing Evelyn to jump back. Hope's expression turned angry, but there was something darker behind her eyes.

"There's always a choice, Evelyn. I knew you wanted to turn my emotions back on, but stooping to poisoning your blood, that's low even for you," Hope sneered.

"She did the right thing." Hope turned her angry gaze at Josie who was leaning up against the wall. "Deep down you know that."

"Hope, I'm trying to save you … from yourself," Evelyn insisted.

"Are you?" Hope yelled with fire in her eyes. "All of you are hellbent on turning my emotions back on but what if that's not what I want? Mhm? What if I'm better off this way?"

"You're not," Josie said, coming to stand beside Evelyn. "You're cold, cruel, and careless. You don't care what happens to those around you as long as you get what you want. That's not better, Hope, that's a curse."

"You wouldn't understand, Ms. Perfect, would you?" Hope sneered.

Josie laughed under her breath. "Oh, I am far from perfect and you know that. I've done horrible things and have my own darkness within myself. I know what it's like to not care and just do what you please, but let me tell you, when you come back from within that darkness, the guilt is immense."

"If I never come out, I won't have to worry about that, will I?" Hope said, raising a brow.

"This isn't you, Hope," Evelyn said, shaking her head. "It isn't."

Hope fiery gaze turned back to Evelyn. "What do you know, Evelyn? You've been lying to yourself since the first day we met."

Evelyn's face turned bright red. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Really? So, you're not in love with me then? I'm not an idiot, Evelyn. You don't think I notice how you look at me or how you react when my teeth are embedded in your neck?" Hope snapped.

Josie looked from Evelyn to Hope and back again. She knew Evelyn had feelings for Hope but this was not the way it should be admitted. Josie stepped forward, placing a hand on Evelyn's chest to move her away from the bars.

"That's enough, Hope," Josie warned.

Evelyn tried to deny it. "I'm … not."

Hope laughed aloud. She bit her lip before looking back at Evelyn with a shaking head. Amusement across her features.

"You are and I'm going to let you in on a little secret," Hope said, leaning as far forward as the bars would allow. "I don't feel the same and I never will. So, why don't you leave me the hell alone before I find a way out of this cage and show you how little I care."

Evelyn's eyes filled with tears as one rolled down her cheek. Josie turned to say something to her, but Evelyn pushed her away, running from the basement. She watched Evelyn run out of sight before turning back to Hope.

"That was cruel and you know it," Josie said.

Hope shrugged. "I was just telling her the truth. Someone had to."

Josie bit her lip with a sigh. She turned to follow after Evelyn but stopped short, turning back to the cell.

"I know you have no emotions, but you just said was horrid," Josie snapped, meeting Hope's gaze. "Because we both know you've been lying to yourself just as she has."

Josie didn't stick around long enough for Hope to respond as she ran after Evelyn. She made it to the top of the stairs when she bumped into MG who was reading a comic book. It looked like it had been read a million times, and in MG's case, that was probably accurate.

"Did you see where Evelyn ran off to?" Josie asked.

MG looked up from his comic and pointed toward the front of the school. "She ran off that way. I don't know what happened but she looked horribly upset. Do you want me to come with you?"

"No, I can handle this. Thank you."

Josie squeezed MG's shoulder before running down the hall to see the front door wide open. As she made it out onto the front lawn, she searched the grounds for Evelyn. When she spotted her, every hair rose on end.

Josie noticed someone in all black coming up behind Evelyn and her eyes went wide as she screamed. "EVELYN WATCH OUT!"

Evelyn turned as the figure appeared before her. It quickly grabbed her arms and flipped her around, placing a cloth over her mouth and nose. She grabbed at the figure's hand, trying to pull it away, but each passing second left her weaker and weaker.

Josie continued running forward, raising her hands to cast a spell, but she couldn't get a clear shot without hitting Evelyn in the process. As she came about fifty feet from the pair, the two disappeared in a blur of movement. Josie came to stand by the open front gate, searching round and round, but she was alone; Evelyn was gone.