Disclaimer: I do not own The Originals, all credit goes to the writers and creators.
.
Chapter Sixteen - Part 1
"I don't want to go to school! Why does Josie get to stay home?" Lizzie whined, pouting in her seat. "It's not fair, momma!"
Caroline breathed deeply, she had known this was coming. Lizzie was the twin that disliked school, so she would automatically hate it even more if her twin was not going with her. "Josie is not feeling well today."
"I could catch it. I should stay home too." Lizzie grinned, thinking herself pretty smart.
Caroline smiled gently. "Sorry, sweetie, you are going to school." She didn't like lying to Lizzie, or perhaps hiding the truth was a better way to put it but she couldn't tell the little girl what Josie would be going through today. She didn't need that weight on her shoulders. "Your dad is going to take you to school today, and here," She pulled out a ten dollar bill from her purse. "You get to buy lunch, okay?"
Lizzie begrudgingly took the money from her moms hand. "It's not fair."
Caroline walked around the countertop and kissed the blonde on her head. "I am certain you'll survive, Lizzie." She smiled at Hope who stepped into the kitchen with Marcel trailing behind her. "Good morning, you two."
Lizzie groaned. "Even Hope doesn't have to go to school."
"I wish I was." Hope shot back as Caroline placed a kiss on her head, and then moved around to place breakfast in front of her. "Thanks Caroline."
"You're welcome, sweetie." She turned back to her daughter. "Lizzie, Hope isn't enrolled yet. In a few days she will be joining you and Josie. And you are not the only one going to school, Davina is going this morning too." She glanced at Marcel who had the fridge door open and was rifling around inside. "You are still able to babysit for me and your dad tonight?"
Marcel hummed, shutting the door and turning to face her. "Yeah, sure am." He lifted the orange juice bottle to his mouth but paused when he saw her raised eyebrow. "I'm going to get a glass," He placed the bottle on the counter.
"What a good idea." Caroline spoke with a hint of amusement. "Now, where is your sister? If she doesn't hurry, she'll be going to school in her pajamas."
"I'm right here." Davina mumbled, walking into the kitchen. "I slept through my first alarm." She yawned, taking a set at the counter.
Caroline placed a plate in front of the teenager. "Hmm, being out all night certainly makes one tired." She almost giggled at the way the teenagers head shot up, the guilty look in her eyes.
"I..."
"You're not in trouble. Your Aunt was with you, and I figured you needed a chance to let off some steam. It however will not happen again. Understood?"
"Yes Ma'am." Davina grabbed a piece of the bacon, giving Caroline a tired smile. "Thank-you."
"You're welcome." Her eyes running over the three girls. "Everyone has their breakfast? Everyone is eating. Bags are packed? Homework is done?"
"Well, I'm not eating." Marcel teased from behind her.
Caroline tilted her head, picking up his plate and passing it to him. "Eat." She noticed the surprise that was in his eyes, stunned that she had made him breakfast. "Don't look so shocked, Marcel," She spoke to him in the same teasing tone. "Sons get the same treatment as daughters." She watched the look in his eyes, the emotion that flittered through them. It was as if she was confirming something to him that he was doubting. Not that there was anything for him to doubt. She had said they were family, and they were. She was the mother, he was child. Despite anything that should have said otherwise.
"Do husbands?"
"I wouldn't know. I don't have one."
Klaus chuckled, placing a kiss on the side of her head. "Mm, morning love."
"Daddy, tell momma that I should get to stay home too." Lizzie piped up, looking over at Klaus, trying to make her expression as innocent as she could muster.
Klaus shook his head. "Oh, no firecracker. Momma said no,"
"And he's scared of her." Davina whispered to Lizzie, only smirking when Klaus glared in her direction. "What? You are."'
"Am not." He defended himself, shaking his head at the teenager who grinned.
Lizzie tried to turn the conversation back around. "If your not scared daddy then I can stay home right?"
Klaus looked between Caroline and Lizzie, clearing his throat. "That would be a no, kid."
Lizzie huffed. "Scaredy cat."
"Well actually, darling, I'm a wolf, not a cat."
Hope looked over at Caroline, who was standing a little closer to her now. "Is he always like a kid?"
Caroline giggled. "Oh, honey, you have no idea."
Freya sat in the chair by the window, looking out at the skyline. She'd only been in the apartment one day but it was one of the most awkward days. It was very clear that Josh hated her, despised her and it made for a very awkward living arrangement. It wasn't that she didn't agree with his feelings towards her, she just hadn't been aware that he was all that close to Klaus, that what they had done to Klaus would effect him too.
Her grip tightened on the mug of tea, and she took a slow sip.
For years all she had wanted was to be part of a family, to embrace that love and although she had a lot of family, she knew that she would never get to experience being a part of it. While thankful to be far from Elijah's clutches, she knew she was now just a pawn to Klaus. Was she angry about it? No. She understood that he deserved her help in anyway she could offer. She just hated knowing that first she was Dahlia pawn, then Elijah's and now she'd be Klaus's.
The door creaked open behind her, and she felt Joshua moving around the apartment. No words left her mouth, what was there to say? Instead she sat in silence just listening to his movements, watching the sky.
She almost jumped when her phone vibrated in her lap, her head darting down to see what it was.
Noon. The compound. Don't be late.
Klaus. He obviously wasn't delaying what he needed her for.
She looked back at the skyline. Where would she go once she was of no use to him anymore? She hadn't heard from Rebekah or Hayley. And Hope, well, she was in New Orleans where she belonged.
Freya wanted to ask to see her, to talk to her but inside she knew it wasn't right for her to demand that. If Hope wanted to see her, then she had to trust that Klaus would allow her too. If she didn't want to then Freya wouldn't try and force it. Her niece was quiet possibly better off without her.
"I don't like it." Caroline paced back and forth across the courtyard. "It's a mistake."
Katherine groaned. "Caroline, would you please stop pacing, you're making me dizzy."
"You don't get dizzy."
"Not the point." Katherine looked towards Bonnie. "A little help here, witchy; she'd self doubting again."
Bonnie looked up from the book she was reading. "Caroline, you already talked this over with Klaus. It's about what's best for Josie. For some unknown reason JoJo seemed to connect with her in the alley. To Josie she is not a stranger but not family, at least she isn't aware of any connection." Bonnie had to admit that she was still a little bitter that Freya was about to be deep diving into her nieces mind. She didn't think it was right, not that a stranger, a traitor, should see those moments.
"Besides as Klaus says, better the devil you know." Stefan lifted Katherine's legs off the sofa to take a seat, placing them back in his lap.
Caroline sighed, flopping down into the seat beside her. "I don't like the idea of her being here, in our house, in our lives."
"None of us like that idea, Care; but if Klaus is willing to give it ago, then maybe you should trust him." She paused, eyebrow raising. "Unless you have some reason not too,"
"No." Caroline denied immediately. "It's just after everything she put him though,"
"Care, Klaus wouldn't let her back into his house if he wasn't able to handle it." Bonnie told her. "Just give it a shot. If it doesn't work, then you can boot her to the curb."
"Or if you are really against it, I could stuff her in the trunk of my car now and..."
"Hang on, Kitty Kat, no one is stuffing her in a trunk yet." Caroline rolled her eyes. "If she tries anything, then you may." She turned to Stefan. "Are you still taking Hope out of the house?"
"Marcel and I are going to take her out, we've got a special mission to attend too."
Bonnie shot him a quizative look. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm giving away zero secrets, B. You'll just have to wait."
Katherine pulled her feet out of Stefan's lap and stood up. "I am off to find Kol,"
Caroline eyed her wearily. "Why?" A rather good question, since she didn't know a time when Katherine eagerly sort out an original.
"I second that, why?" Bonnie closed her book, giving the vampire her full attention.
Katherine looked towards Stefan. "Is it just me or did my best-friends turn into my mother?"
Stefan laughed, standing up from the chair. "I think you make them nervous, babe. I'm going to round up Hope and Marcel." He kissed her temple. "I love you."
"I love you too." She turned back to Caroline. "I'm just going to chat with him that's all,"
Caroline raised her eyebrow. "Katherine,"
"I'll be good, mother, scouts honor." She slipped by them and out of the courtyard.
Caroline groaned. "Lord help me,"
Bonnie only smiled. "You know she'll be knocking some sense into him about Davina." Katherine was a lot of things, fiercely protective being one. She might not have known Davina long but the second she was classed as a daughter to Caroline, well, it would have been enough for Kat to claim her as a niece.
"I know, she's good like that. I just..."
"You have a lot on your mind and you don't want Kat and Kol fighting added to the mix," Bonnie guessed. "I'll make sure she behaves." Bonnie stood up intent on following the vampire. "Call if you need me to come back."
"I will." Caroline smiled at her. "Thanks Bon."
"Anytime Care, anytime."
Hope knew exactly why she was out with Stefan and Marcel, and she wasn't exactly sure how to feel about it. She didn't want to see her Aunt Freya, but she couldn't help but feel a little guilty about avoiding her. Family was very important, she had been told that her whole life. But Freya had done a really bad thing so it kind of made it seem okay. Her dad had told her it was okay, and she had thing feeling inside her heart that he was being truthful when he said it.
It didn't stop a small thought from creeping into her mind though, would her dad keep her away from Freya, and her mom like they had kept her from him? It was silly, she shouldn't have thought that, he had given her no reason to think that he would do that. The family was just so messy and she didn't like that it felt like to completely different sides when they all shared the same name, the same blood.
"Hope, you okay?" Marcel nudged the little girl, noticing that she had a far away look on her face.
"I'm fine." Hope mumbled as they walked down the sidewalk, her sandwiched in-between him and Stefan. "Where are we going?"
Stefan looked down at her with a little twinkle in his eyes. "Before lunch we need to get some supplies,"
Hope almost let out a groan, he had what she had now named a Lizzie Look. "Supplies for what?"
"Payback." Marcel grinned. "Lizzie isn't going to see it coming."
"What are you going to do?" She was kind of curious because of the look on Marcel's face. "Lizzie isn't afraid of anything." What she had learnt about the blonde twin so far was that she was fearless and wild.
"Lizzie is pretty fearless," Stefan agreed. "But I'll let you in on one thing that she really doesn't like," He opened the door to the toy store, seeing Hope's curious look. "Turtles."
"Turtles?" Hope looked as though she didn't believe him. "Lizzie is scared of harmless little turtles. Are you sure?"
"Oh, I'm sure."
Marcel gestured to the stuff animal section. "And we are buying them all."
"Might even get a live one." Stefan was certain he had seen a pet store a block or so back.
Hope crossed her arms, watching Marcel scooping the stuffed animals into the cart by the arm full. "She wanted me to hunt snakes, I don't think she is afraid of turtles."
Stefan dumped a turtle bed spread into the cart. "Hey, I never said it made sense. Are you going to help or not? You know you want to."
"I'd help, Hope; your probably next on her hit this. This way you are a step in front."
Hope looked between the two of them, their childish grins. She had never, never done something like this before. She had never pranked anyone before or had a prank pulled on her. Her dad...Uncle Elijah would never let her do something like this. "Do they have turtle balloons?"
Marcel chuckled. "Now you're thinking, kid. We'll get some."
"And let's get that!" She pointed to the top shelf, it was a stuffed turtle the size of a dining chair.
Stefan followed her gaze, a ridiculously large and overpriced stuffed animal but he only smiled. "Yeah, let's get that." It would be worth every dollar.
Klaus sat down on the coffee table in front of Josie and Caroline who were cuddling on the so0fa. He could see the sadness in the little girls eyes, the tears that were already falling. He wished for her sake, and for Caroline that there was another way to do this. Any other way then having to make the little girl relive it but there just wasn't. "Your mom and I will be with you the whole time,"
Caroline held Josie close to her body, wishing she could just protect the little girl from all of this. "I really wish I could protect you from this sweetie, I do. It's just very important that we find out any details you can remember."
"I don't wanna," Josie mumbled, her bottom lip trembling.
"I know, sweetie, I know." Caroline placed a kiss on the top of her head. "Freya is going to help you remember, okay? She'll just look inside for that memory,"
Klaus placed his hands on the little girls knee. "I know it's hard, darling; but you are such a brave little girl, and what you remember is going to help us keep you and Lizzie safe."
"Keep us safe forever?" Josie whispered, using her hands to wipe at her eyes.
"Yes, sweetie, safe forever." Caroline hoped that it was true, that all that they were about to put Josie through would lead to the thing that would keep them safe. That it would put a stop to this merge, once and for all.
"It'll protect Lizzie?"
"Yes." Klaus answered, seeing a flicker of determination in the little girls eyes.
"Okay, I'll try." Josie mumbled, she would do anything to protect Lizzie, even if she had to remember a really bad time.
Caroline kissed the top of her head, squeezing her tight. "You are so brave, Josette, so very brave."
Freya stood on the sidewalk, staring at the house before her. Her body was trembling slightly with nerves, flashes of the last time she had been here penetrated her mind. The betrayal. The tears. This could have been there family home, if only she had taken a different path, if she had never made that choice.
It was noon, she knew she shouldn't keep them waiting but her feet wouldn't move. What if Kol was here? He still wished to hurt her, he wanted to make her pay. Freya couldn't help the terrified feeling that brewed inside of her when it came to Kol and she wondered if Klaus would stop him or allow him to hurt her?
"Are you going to keep us waiting?"
Freya's head snapped up, standing above her on the balcony was Caroline. The blonde certainly looked impatient, and Freya felt her body tremble. Annoying Klaus's partner certainly would not win her any favors. Was it going to be like this the entire time, her on edge waiting for someone to strike at her, to make her pay. "C...Coming." Freya mumbled, reaching out to push the door open.
...
Caroline was quick to block the entrance to the living room, Klaus standing just behind her. Freya might have been here to help but that didn't help to simmer that rage in Caroline. Every part of her hated this. She hated that Freya was close to Klaus, that she would be close to Josie, that she would see inside of her daughters mind. It was all very wrong. "If you hurt her, make her uncomfortable, upset her...I will make life very very uncomfortable for you." Her warning was one of intensity, her gaze telling Freya that she meant every word. It however did not escape Caroline's attention that the woman before her didn't even flinch, it was as if the threat meant little.
"If I hurt a child, your child, then I will pay the price." Freya agreed. "Klaus wants me hear to help, and I have every intention to do so." The words pouring from her mouth made her sound more confident that she was, inside she was trembling.
Klaus watched her movement, listened to her words and noticed what he new no one else would. He saw the restrain in her eyes, the way she gently stroked her cast. His sister was nervous. It brought him glee but also annoyance. She was fearful of him, of Caroline. It should have been satisfying. He had hoped it would be. But he remembered what it was like to fear their father, to fear their mother; he didn't want his family, any of them, to fear him the way he had feared them.
She had caused him intense pain, and the thought of being in the same room as her did grate on his nerves but he wouldn't harm her. He was doing this for Josie, to keep his daughters safe.
"We'll be watching the entire time." Caroline's warning was sharp.
Klaus let his gaze drop from Freya to Caroline, he understood her worries but also knew that them staying wouldn't give them what they needed. "Sweetheart, that defeats the purpose." He could see the distrust in her eyes. "We..."
"You can stay," Freya inserted herself into the conversation, watching them both glare in direction. "You don't trust me," It was very clear that they didn't, and she certainly didn't blame them for that. It was her fault. "If you want to stay then I can place a bubble around Josie and I when she is ready to talk. You'll see everything but you will not hear it."
Klaus shared a look with Caroline, that was a better situation then he had anticipated. "Do that." He commanded, if they could witness it then he would feel better, he knew that Caroline would feel better.
Caroline nodded in agreement. "And once your done, get the hell out of our house." Caroline pushed passed her into the living area, they had had left Josie in there watching television.
Freya didn't follow and she was aware that Klaus was still watching her as she looked over the balcony into the courtyard. This was their home. The place they were raising a family, where Hope should have spent her entire life. There were toys, bikes, books...it wasn't messy but it was lived in. It was a home.
A home was something she had never had, not a child, not as an adult...not even now. Even those ten years hadn't consisted of a place to call home.
"Freya, they are waiting." Klaus's words pierced through whatever thoughts she was having, drawing her attention back to him. He'd seen the sadness in her eyes but he refused to feel anything for her. She had chosen this life. "Come."
Bonnie matched Katherine's pace as they walked along the sidewalk. "Why exactly do you want to find Kol? You don't like him.
Katherine frowned, glancing at the witch to her right. "What gave you that idea?"
"Um, well lets see...Klaus hunting you, you running for years, dodging all things and beings related to him."
"Hmm, see how you mentioned Klaus. It was him I was running from. Kol and I got along great up until the point I betrayed Klaus." Katherine stopped at the crosswalk since there were multiple cars on the road. "If you take Klaus out of the situation, Kol is the only original that would be worth my time. Rebekah is a spoiled teenage brat. Finn is boring from what I've heard. Elijah is currently a psychopath and Freya manipulative witch."
Bonnie raised her eyebrow, most of those points she actually agreed with but Katherine seemed to be forgetting something. "You do realize that you dated that pyscho right? You and Elijah were a thing."
"I fucked him." Katherine clarified, there was never a relationship between them. After all, he had known that Klaus planned to kill her. "Fucked Klaus too." She saw Bonnie cringe. "And Kol."
"Kat!"
Katherine laughed. "What? You do realize I've been alive for hundreds of years right? Now that I think about it the only brother I haven't been with it Finn," As they crossed the road and headed straight for the bar.
Bonnie made a disgusted noise. "Ew, did not need that mental image."
"Don't be a prude. Elijah had been dead to me since I slept with him. Could smell crazy on that guy."
Bonnie had to laugh at that. "Hmm, probably why you slept with him right?"
"Bitch." Katherine rolled her eyes. "Come on, he's in here." She opened the door to the bar, motioning for Bonnie go ahead before her.
"If you could smell crazy on him, you could have mentioned it." Kol mumbled as they dropped into the booth across from him. He had obviously overheard their conversation, excellent hearing gave an advantage when it came to eavesdropping on other people conversations.
Katherine raised her eyebrow. "Would you have believed me? I highly doubt it." They might have fought amongst themselves but back then they never would have allowed her comments, for her to insult their brother.
"You have a thing for brothers," Bonnie spoke as if just realizing it. "All but one in the set of Mikaelson's. Both Salvatore's. You like them in sets huh?"
Katherine rolled her eyes, nudging Bonnie with her shoulder. "We aren't here to discuss my sex life. We are here to beat some sense into Kol."
"I'm fine."
"Yes, the twelve beers and three glasses of what smells like whiskey, indicate that you are perfectly fine. You're pathetic."
Kol's eyes met Katherine's. "Anyone ever call you a bitch?"
Bonnie laughed. "Daily."
Katherine glared at Bonnie but it held no malice. "Back to the situation. Davina's broken heart. Kol being a dick."
"I thought my brother was dead!" He defended himself.
"That excuse isn't going to fly with us." Bonnie told him. "There is such thing as a phone."
Kol had the decency to look a little embarrassed. "Yeah, I should have called." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Nik said to give her space."
Katherine nodded. "Oh yeah, you are going to do that but you also need to do more."
"And trying to get drunk isn't going to help. That's the kind of behavior that'll drive her further away."
Kol frowned, slumping back against the booth and eyeing the two of them. "You want her to take me back?"
"No. I think you are too old for her, and she needs to experience life." Katherine spoke and she saw both of their shocked looks.
"Did I misunderstand the mission?" Bonnie muttered.
Katherine leaned forward, taking the glass from Kol's fingers. "But last night I sat with her while she cried, I held her while she confessed her love and then told me how much she hates you. So, listen up, Kol. You are going to do better then trying to win her back, you are going to be her friend."
"Her friend?" He seemed to turn the idea over in his mind. He wanted more then that with Davina, he loved her, more then he had loved any woman in his lifetime. "A friend?"
Katherine gave a slight nod. "She doesn't need any pressure from you to be in a relationship, or to feel like she has to forgive you."
"Which she doesn't." Bonnie added, Katherine humming in agreement with that statement.
Kol let his eyes flick between the two of them. "You think I should just be her friend?"
"Yes." Katherine told him sternly, that was all Davina needed from him right now and even that he would need to earn his way towards. "And stop calling her darling, or I will gladly help her rip your tongue out." He'd lost that right when he broke her heart.
"Bitch."
"Ladybug, you remember Freya, don't you?" Klaus looked down at the little girl hiding behind Caroline.
Josie peeked out from behind Caroline's legs to look at the pair that had entered the room. Her eyes darted from her dad to the woman beside him, and she felt the tug of her magic inside as if it was reminding her of this person. "Uh huh," She mumbled, still very unsure about this situation she was in.
Freya stood a took a few steps closer as Klaus went to stand by them, she was very aware the they were watching her every move as she knelt down to look at the little girl. "Hey there, brown eyes." She used the same phrase from the alley, hoping that it would ease the little girls fears.
Josie tilted her head to the side just slightly as if observing the woman before her, remembering that conversation in the alley. "Is your arm better?" Her eyes dropped to the cast. Josie knew that it was why Freya was here, to talk about when she had broken her bone. She felt her hands shake a little, she didn't want to remember that.
Freya smiled, the memory of it was still fresh in her mind. "Doesn't hurt at all." She told her, giving the cast a brief look over. "How would you like to be the very first person to sign it?"
Josie sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, her eyes darting to her mommy who was watching her. "Momma?"
Caroline gave a slight nod, all the hatred she felt toward Freya had been left outside the room, she knew she couldn't show that towards her while Josie was present. "Go ahead, baby." She encouraged.
Klaus held back the surprise when Freya pulled a permanent marker out of her pocket. Wondering if that was magic she used or if she had planned this moment.
He had a lot of questions when it came to the oldest Mikaelson sibling. A lot of unanswered questions. Not that he would ask her any of them. Doing so would only give her the false hope that things could get better between them.
Josie slowly crept out from behind Klaus, taking the marker from Freya's hand. "You want to look inside." Josie stated quietly as she begun to write her name on the top of the cast.
"No," Freya spoke, and she felt the tension from the two adults. They had clearly expected her to say yes since that was the exact reason she was in the room, why Klaus was tolerating her presence. "Bad memories can be really scary to think about, so I'm not going to look, not until you're ready."
"Until I'm ready?" Josie spoke, as if she was unsure if she should trust those words.
"Can I show you something?"
Josie nodded, placing the cap back on the marker. "What kind of something?...What is that?" Josie frowned, looking around but not seeing anything other then her mom and dad, they were now sitting on the sofa together.
Freya gave a gentle smile. "A bubble. Inside the bubble you can tell me anything you want, and no one can hear it but you and I."
Josie looked skeptical. "Not mommy or daddy?"
"No, not mommy or daddy. No one." Freya looked up at the adults, sensing they were on edge. She'd told them about the bubble before but seeing there daughters lips moving and not being able to hear her obviously made them cautious. "Josie,"
"Daddy said you are going to look inside my mind."
Freya who had been crouched down, shifted so that she was sitting cross legged on the rug. "Well, bad memories are something we like to forget, sometimes we push them very far into the back of our minds and lock them away but sometimes we remember them. Do you remember?"
Josie mimicked Freya's position, rolling the marker around in her hand. "I remember."
"I thought you might." She tapped her right leg. "Do you want to tell me what you remember?"
Josie scrunched her eyes closed. "When I remember the bad things, my eyes do the bad thing and mommy will see and..." Her voice hitched, her bottom lip starting to tremble. "I don't like it. I don't like the magic. I don't..." Josie shook her head, fear welling up inside of her.
"What's happening?" Caroline leant forward, Klaus moving with her. "I don't like it, she looks scared." She loathed this, putting her daughter through something terrible. Alaric. What had he done to her? Why had he done any of this? What was to gain from it? "She needs to stop,"
"Caroline," Klaus placed a hand on her shoulder. "Just give it a moment."
Freya held out her hand, palm up. She recalled how Josie's eyes had turned purple in the alley, it was something the little girl was obviously terrified of. "Remember in the alley when I held onto your magic, if I do that again, then I promise your eyes will stay there pretty shade of brown, even when you remember the bad stuff."
"Prom...promise?"
"I promise." Freya let her eyes meet Caroline's, the blonde had a very uncertain expression, so she gave her a small reassuring smile as Josie placed her hand on hers. "How does that feel?"
Josie's eyes popped open, she felt different, lighter. "I feel better." It felt like before daddy had taken her, before he took her to see the weird lady. "I don't like it. I hate magic."
"Want to know a secret?" She saw Josie's curious look. "I hate magic sometimes too."
"Really?"
"Really," Freya confirmed, she did love her magic but there was times when she truly loathed it. It was the reason she was a pawn to so many people in her life. The reason she had been taken from her family when she was a child. "When I was a little girl I lived in a village with my momma, papa and brother. One day my Auntie came to our home and she told my momma that she was going to take me," Josie gasped, eyes widening. "My momma didn't want her to but my Auntie took me to her home and told me that I was to live with her for the rest of my life. She told me I would never see my momma, papa or brother again."
"Why did your Auntie do that?"
"She needed my magic." Freya answered, watching as Josie chewed on her bottom lip. By giving that small tad bit of information about herself, she hoped that the little girl would cease the opportunity to open up to her, just a little.
"Freya, are you sad?"
Freya gave a tired smile, pushing away the sadness that she felt. "I am, but it's okay to be sad sometimes."
Josie looked down at the floor. "My real daddy took me from my momma like your Auntie took you from your momma," Her eyes welled up with tears.
Freya felt her magic restricting around Josie's magic a little tighter when it tried to break free. "That wasn't very nice of him," Freya acknowledged.
Josie looked up, her eyes shining with vulnerability. "Freya, daddy broke my arm."
Freya immediately gathered the little girl into her arms, placing her in her lap. Her eyes however darted to the two adults in the room, trying to convey that she had this, that is was what they wanted from her. "Oh, sweetie,"
"Klaus," Caroline gripped his hand tightly, she might not have known what they were saying but she could see the distress in Josie's eyes. "I don't,"
Klaus pulled her closer, as she closed her eyes and buried her head into his chest. "She's going to be okay." He promised, he knew he would move heaven and earth to ensure their daughter was okay after all this was done.
"I don't wanna tell you," Josie whispered, the tears spilling down her face as she buried her head in Freya's shoulder. Her magic had told her that she could trust Freya, and her momma needed her to do this, Lizzie need her to do this so that she could stay safe. "You can look,"
"Are you sure?" Freya asked the question, wanting the little girl to trust her.
Josie nodded. "Will you cuddle me?"
"Yeah, sweetie, I'll hold you." She rubbed Josie's back with her free hand. "Close your eyes for me, Josie, I promise you won't feel a thing," Freya spoke softly, her hand continuing in the same motion as she too closed her eyes, they were connected by touch and her magic flowed through their bodies as she dived into the little girls mind. She knew that Josie was already thinking of the memory, so she knew she wouldn't need to search for it.
"Momma!"
"Josette!" Alaric grabbed her by the waist, hauling her into his arms. "We're leaving."
Josie squirmed, kicking her legs and reaching her arms out. "Momma!" She could see her in the distance with Auntie Bonnie. "Momma!"
Alaric growled in frustration. How could they have come this close? Why hadn't they given up searching. "Stop it! That's not your mommy."
Josie kicked her little legs harder, the tears running down her cheeks. "I want momma! I want Lizzie!" Josie screamed when Alaric threw her into the back of the car, she scrambled on the backseat, climbing to look out the window. "I want my momma!"
Alaric opened the front door, climbing in and slamming it shut beside him. "That is not your mommy. Caroline is not your mom!" He didn't bother to buckle either of them in, needing to put as much distance between them as Caroline as quickly as possible.
"Momma!"
"Sit down right now!" Alaric demanded, pulling the car out of the parking bay, Josie's crying getting louder and louder. "Stop it, Josette!"
"I want momma! I want my momma!"
"NO!" Alaric roared, pushing his foot against the gas pedal, urging the car to go faster. "That woman doesn't love you. She does not love you. She only loves Lizzie."
Josie glared at him, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I hate you! Momma loves me!" Josie screamed loudly. "I want Momma!"
Alaric turned on the radio trying to drown out her screams, but the little girl only screamed louder. He tightened his grip on the steering wheel, clenching and unclenching to the sound of the beat. "Shut up, Josette!" He ignored her, pushing the car to go faster. His eyes flickered to the rear vision mirror, no one had followed which means they'd escaped without being seen.
He winced as Josie kicked her feet repeatedly into the back of his seat. "Stop it!" He reached around to swat her legs, but she kicked him in the arm forcing it into the console. "You ungrateful brat. I saved you from her. She didn't love you. I love you." He wrenched his arm forward before she could kick him again.
"Hate you! Hate you! Hate you!" Josie kicked his chair harder and harder and harder. "I WANT MOMMA!"
Alaric jerked the car off the side of the road. "SHE'S NOT YOUR MOMMA!" He flung he car door open, wrenching the back door open and grabbing her roughly by the arm. "Caroline does not love you. Stop this!"
The tears kept falling from Josie's eyes but she wasn't screaming, she was squirming trying to get out of his grasp as he pulled her out the car. "Let go daddy!"
Alaric's grip only tightened. "Say sorry! Say you hate momma!"
"No!" Josie sobbed.
"Say it!"
"No!"
..
Josie's screams were those of pure agony as Alaric carried her through the doors of the hospital. "Help please, my daughter broke her arm." He spoke to the nurse closest to him. Josie's cries were loud in his ear.
"Oh dear, what happened?" The nurse asked, motioning for him to follow her. "We'll have to get an x-ray."
"She fell off her bike." The lie flowed easily from Alaric's lips, he tried to push away the thought of what he had done. "Didn't you sweetie?"
Josie's only cried as the nurse pointed them to a chair. "It hurts!"
"I know dear, I'll get you something to try an help. Just wait here one moment."
Alaric sat down with Josie in his arms. "I'm sorry, sweetie. I didn't mean it. Daddy is sorry." He kissed the top of her head. "You'll be a good girl for daddy now won't you?"
Josie sobbed in pain. "Yes daddy."
"Good girl."
A smile formed on his lips. "Do you love momma?"
Josie trembled against him. "No daddy."
"Good girl, Josie." He rubbed her back. "I'm so sorry, darling." He leaned back in the chair, looking up at the sign above him. Nashville.
What did you think?
I really didn't want to actually write the scene of Alaric breaking Josie's arm but I think you can place it together for yourselves. I cringe every time I hear stories of things like this occurring in life either to both children and adults. I couldn't bare to actually write it.
Much Love. x
