"I have to go check up on Elena, no you can't come with me." Hope's head poked around the large tome she was reading. Her eyebrows scrunched as she set it down.

"What's going on?" He shook his head as he threw on his jacket and kissed her forehead. "Dad? Please take me with you!" He shut the door and was peeling away from the house before she could say another word. She huffed, looked around the room, and pulled out her cell phone.

It had now been four months since they had been staying with Lucas, and everyday she grew stronger. She was no longer soft lines and the baby fat that had for so long kept her insecure. She was strong, and her sea glass eyes have developed a gleam of determination. She was afraid that if she were to go back to her home, no one would recognize her. Her skin was dark from the hours of working in the blazing sun, her hair over run with the natural red highlights. Lucas determined that the stronger her body was, the more power she could handle. She barely saw her father besides meals, and the two have yet had time to converse about ever going back home. She was afraid her father would make her stay here the rest of her life, training for the rest of her days with Lucas.

"Hello?" She hadn't even been aware that she had called her.

"Elena." Hope choked on her name, tears immediately brimming over.

"Hope, oh my Hope." She could hear the sniffles through the phone and the two sobbed at once, wanting nothing more than to wrap the other in an embrace. Hope missed her cousin, her best friend, her sister. Elena sat in her bedroom, her journal in her lap and a pen behind her ear. She had spent the day watching Doctor Who, Hope's favorite TV show. It was how she stayed close with her, felt like she was with her. She couldn't help falling in love with the Doctor, could now understand how Hope could become so invested in such a show.

"I miss you so much, I'm not supposed to be calling." Hope coughed, folding herself into what she had dubbed her corner of the couch. She ran a hand through her curls, smiling at the thought of Elena doing the same.

"Why not? Where are you?" Hope bit her lip, knowing that she was not supposed to give away Lucas's position. He had stayed hidden for so long, and she felt like uttering it would take away the security she felt here.

"I can't say, but I'm safe. How are you? How's Matt?" She felt a tug at her heart, a tug usually reserved for Marcus.

"He's good. Him and Caroline are dating now." Hope's eyes fluttered at the news. She forced the tears back into her eyes, upset at herself for even being hurt, because Caroline and Matt deserved each other. They both deserved that happiness.

"That's great? How's Vicki taking it? I know she never really liked Caroline, if you know what I mean." Caroline could be a little vicious when being blunt, one of the reasons Hope had always loved Caroline. She ached for the blonde, yearning for their late night phone calls and daydreams.

"Vicki, um, she passed away a while back." Her heart squeezed at the thought of Matt, all alone in that house and utterly heart broken. He and Vicki fought a lot, and it was like he was the eldest most times, but they had been almost as close as she and Elena.

"Oh, Matt." She whispered, her hand dashing a few stray tears away. She cold almost feel Elena nod in agreement.

"He's taking it pretty hard. Oh Hope, I wish you could be here with us." Elena whispered into the phone, her hand going up to hold the necklace resting around her neck. She looked at the frozen face of David Tenant, his smile as bright and welcoming as Hope's. She missed her so much she ached.

"Promise you'll come back soon." She whispered. Hope closed her eyes and cleared her throat. She could hear the back door opening.

"I promise." She clicked end and shoved the phone in her pocket as she got up.

Elena stared at the phone, worried and shocked that her cousin had just hung up on her like that. Four months with no contact and she cut her off so abruptly it was like she couldn't be caught on the phone. Where was her dad and why was he keeping her locked away from the ones who loved her the most? But as Elena thought about it, she knew it was for the best that Hope was not here, was not in the middle of the chaos that seemed to follow her lately.

Lucas walked in, his grey t-shirt soaked with sweat. Hope forced a smile before picking the book up and mumbling something about reading outside for awhile. Lucas nodded and watched her walk away, admiring how different she looked, the strength in her aura.

She stepped out onto the back porch and took a deep breath. She abandoned the grimiore and decided on a run to clear her mind, and the swirling emotions inside of her.

Her father had returned a month later, making it five months since the last time Hope had been to see her friends and family. Hope pressed him about Elena and the crew back home, having not talked to her since the day her father had left. He shook his head and snapped at her every time, but she needed to know. She was going stir crazy just training day in and day out.

Hope was not the same person she was five months ago. Training and magic had hardened her, and she could not recognize herself in the mirror anymore. It was a good thing, she decided. No longer did her exposed thighs or arms make her upset and uncomfortable, and most of the time she was in a tank top and shorts. She was sure of herself, confident and had grown a backbone living with two men who were sometimes rude and sarcastic. She was snarkier, always clashing with her father on an almost everyday basis. Lucas was rubbing off on her. She had began to listen to his older rock music, wore darker, fitted, clothing (when not in training clothes), ditching her old feminine style. She had begun to spend a lot of time helping Lucas work on an old car of his. She was delighted to find out it was a 1967 Chevy Impala, like in one of her favorite TV shows Supernatural, and had no greater pleasure than working on it in her off time. Soon, she knew enough about cars and engines that she had started to work on it whenever she was bored, and Lucas gladly let her. She was still a kind person, but she was no longer a pushover and a people pleaser. As far as she saw it, she had no one to answer to but herself and the big guy upstairs.

No, Hope definitely was not the same person.

Eight. Damn. Months.

She had to get out of there. She could no longer stay in this house, spending her days working out. She had finished refurbishing the Chevy, it was now running as smooth as silk. She almost wished it was back to being a piece of crap, so she had something to do that wasn't reading or sweating. She pulled on a black v-neck and a pair of dark-washed skinny jeans. She threw on her chucks and started to pack everything up. After six months of fighting hand to hand, her father had insisted she learn how to fight vampires, and she was now a grade A hunter (in theory, her father had never let her accompany him on a hunt, which he was currently on). She could not stay here any longer.

On a whim, she grabbed the large black duffel underneath her bed and began to pack everything she owned. Clothes, shoes, books, toiletries. She grabbed her bag of weapons, the ones Lucas had given her for her birthday a few months back, and swung both onto her shoulder.

"Going somewhere?" She turned around, chin up.

"I'm ready to face the world, I have extensive knowledge on my powers, combat training and hunting, vampire and non. Not to mention the amount of legends and lore I know about the supernatural world. I'm ready." Lucas nodded and set his scotch down on a book shelve. He walked towards her and smiled.

"I've been waiting for you to say that." She hugged him hard. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the key to the Impala.

"Take her." She gaped. She shook her head, but he took her hand and placed it in her palm.

"I want you to have her." Her eyes shined with unshed tears and they embraced once again. He slipped a couple hundred into her duffel when she was slipping on her army jacket. He remembered the girl who walked into his house all those months, chubby and insecure, hiding behind her father. Now, she walked with her head held high and with a fluidity that screamed confidence. He was damn proud of the progress she made, with herself and her powers. He walked her to the car and put her bags into the back for her. She hugged him once more, kissed his cheek, and took off, her mind spinning on where she would go first.

Mystic Falls.

Matt.

Elena.

Okay, so no Klaus/O.C/Matt love triangle!

Klaus will definitely be taking an interest in Hope though, not sure what kind, but an interest indeed!

Yay, she's going back to Mystic Falls! The story will be picking up at the end of Season 2, with Klaus possessing Alaric. Hope has no idea about the gang back in Mystic Falls, and I'm still debating on how she's going to find out. I have a few ideas, its just organizing them and choosing one that I'm having a bit of trouble with. No worries though, I will figure it out!:)

So, I know that through out this chapter I have talked about Hope loosing the baby fat, but I would just like to say that she did not loose that much weight, so her appearance is altered enough to know there is a difference but there is not a drastic change. Obviously she had to loose weight because of the intensity of her physical training, but she did not change that much. She's just leaner now, stronger, but she still has the curves that makes our Hope, Hope:)

Please look up Tara Lynn if you are still having trouble picturing Hope's shape.

Alright, this is getting a little long. Please review and tell me what you think, what you're excited for, the things you don't like, what I need to improve on etc.

Love you guys for sticking with me!:)