"Dad, please don't do this." Hope had her arms crossed firmly over her chest as she watched her dad lug her suitcase down the stairs. Her, Elena, Matt, and Jenna stood in the kitchen, all wearing sour expressions, both Elena and Hope fighting back tears. The two had spent the morning remembering how to laugh and baking. Now, they were standing close to each other, afraid to be too far away. Matt watched the clenching in Hope's jaw and wondered if she'd be going off to college the next time he saw her. His heart was heavy at the thought.

"I'm sorry, Hope, but we need to leave. Now." Jon threw her purse at her, but she refused to catch it, letting it fall to the floor.

"No, I'm not leaving. Not until June." It had only been two weeks since Marcus's visit and she refused to leave before she felt like she needed to. She couldn't leave, everything was just now starting to feel normal again. She could still feel the absence of her aunt and uncle but the unbearable pain was no longer...unbearable. Sure, she could still hear Elena crying herself to sleep but the girl had returned to smiling often, and the big reason was Hope. Elena feared she would return to a zombie like trance if Hope left, and so she clung onto her hand. Hope straightened up, the contact with Elena fueling her need to be here. She would always protect Elena. The jumped out at her, and she was a little taken aback by it.

Where had that come from? She thought to herself. She focused back on her dad and raised her chin slightly, daring him to challenge her. Never had she acted towards him this way, had always done exactly what he wanted, hungry and yearning for his affection and approval. His eyes darkened and he strode forward and grabbed her by the arm.

"Say your goodbyes and get in the car. We leave in five minutes." His voice was hard and his grip even harder. She bit her lip and yanked away from him. She stumbled back and into Matt's chest, who had surged forward the moment Jon had grabbed his daughter.

"Come on Jon, don't be a douche." He said as he steadied Hope. She stared back at her dad, as did everyone else, until he shook his head and walked out to the car, slamming the door on his way. Hope immediately turned to her aunt.

"Jenna, isn't there any way you can persuade him to let me stay for a little bit longer?" She had clasped her hands together and begged. Jenna shook her head sadly and gathered the girl into her arms. Hope hugged her back, deflated, knowing that there was no use. She kissed Jenna's cheek and released, only to be grabbed in an embrace by Matt, who held her close and burying his face in her neck. She would never get used to the smell that always clung to Matt. Mint and cherries, and she knew that it would forever be her favorite scent. He kissed her on the forehead and reluctantly let go, feeling as if the next time they saw each other they would both be very different people.

They could almost not meet each other's eyes, the both of them wanting to stay strong for each other, but as soon as Hope left Matt's arms she was sobbing in Elena's. She could not understand why she felt as if everything would change, why she would no longer be as close with Elena and that she would not see her cousin in a long time. They clung to each other as if for dear life, and neither could help the tears that fell relentlessly down their faces.

"Please stay in touch, for the love of God, just stay in touch." She begged. Elena nodded and they kissed each other's cheek. She let go and looked to see Matt holding her purse and her bag by the door. She took them and kissed Matt on the cheek before leaving the house. She threw her stuff into the back of her dad's car and settled down in the passenger seat. She remembered how furious she had been when she had found out her Dad had had Jeff's car take back to her mother, the absolute screaming match that had gone down. She winced at the memory, hating how she had let her emotions get the best of her, how out of control she had felt. She had always hated being loud, and someone getting loud with her, but it had felt all to good to scream and rage at her father when she had found out what he had done.

"I know you're pissed off at me, but you needed to leave. They're are things you are unaware about, and its high time that your mother and I tell you. Buckle up, it's a long ride home."

Home, with Mom and Jeff. She would be able to throw her little brother up on her shoulders and take Katy to the mall. Somehow, all those things sounded like a dream, like she had never really done them. It felt like her real life was in Mystic Falls, with Elena and Matt and Caroline who had been so busy with things at school that they had only hung out together twice while she had been there and couldn't even make it to say goodbye. She closed her eyes and let her father's words sink in.

Things she didn't know, things she needed to know, he had said. What had they been hiding all these years? What could be so important that she needed to leave her family when they needed each other the most?

She shook her head and stuck her headphones in, making sure to turn the volume up as loud as it could go so she didn't have to hear her father's attempts at conversation. She leaned her head back against the seat, the soft guitar notes vibrating in her ears as Ed Sheeran sang the first words of I See Fire.

A headphone was plucked from her ear and she opened one eye to see her brother Thomas grinning up at her. She closed the eye and snored loudly, smiling slightly at the laugh that escaped him. She undid her seat belt and scooped him up in her arms as she closed the door to the car, her eyes landing directly on her mother and father talking in hushed tones by the door. She hoisted her brother onto her hip and approached them, her ears straining to catch a snippet of their conversation. Her mother took a deep breath to steady herself and turned her gaze, a smile lighting up her beautiful face.

"Linnet!" She bounded down the stairs and Hope had just enough time to let Thomas slide from her arms before her mother barreled into her. She wound her arms around her mother's middle and sighed, her eyes prickling at the realization of how much she had missed her. The two pulled away and Hope noticed the melancholy in her mother's hazel eyes.

It was in that moment, that Hope knew that everything was going to change.

I'M SO SORRY THAT I HAVE BEEN GONE FOR SO LONG, SCHOOL IS A PAIN IN THE ASS.

But I am here, and I have gifted you with another chapter, I hope you like it!

Please review, I love to know what if I'm doing right or wrong!:)

Love you all!