Chapter 11- Ticking time bomb

Sorry the last chapter was slightly short actually I think it's the shortest I've written for this story yet but this one is hopefully a more average size, for me anyway. The next chapter though will be slightly short because this week I'm also going to write a little two shot story about what Lizzie, Josie and Hope did for Halloween as children, it will be connected to this story but you don't have to read this one to read that so hopefully that makes up for these chapters. But I promise the last two are slightly longer. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter and once your finished please remember to follow, fav and review because reading your amazing reviews are the thing that keeps me going, writing wise and just generally in life.

The first thing she did was look at her clock. It was a ticking time bomb.

6 hours.

6 hours till she goes home.

6 hours till she has to say goodbye to Lizzie, Josie and Caroline.

Figuring everyone was awake, Hope wandered down the stairs to join them for breakfast. Lizzie had obviously got a good nights sleep from the way she was animatedly speaking, Caroline listened in cheerfully but Josie sat in the corner silently, not angry but she was definitely thinking carefully about something.

"I have to say it felt good for the school bus to pass without us, we haven't had a sick day in like forever."

"Well this is only a one time thing, anyway I'm going to make waffles," she lifted the hot mug to her rosy lips and without even looking at the door," Hope would you like some?"

Both twins turned towards her shocked.

"Yes please Caroline."

"And you know what let's have some ice cream with them."

"Thanks mom you're the best." Lizzie rushed to hug her tightly.

"It's ok, Hope can you get the ice cream out the freezer please, Lizzie can you get the plates, knives and forks and Josie can you grab the ingredients and help me make the batter."

Immediately everyone took action while Caroline found her apron and her waffle maker, she couldn't get her work clothes dirty, she had to be there in a hour and a bit.

"So what are you guys planning for today, don't even dare steal some of your dads bourbon again." Hope grinned, so she wasn't the only one who did that as a child.

"Don't worry mom," Lizzie laughed back, "just some old fashioned slumber party stuff, games, the note book, icecream, you know, the usual."

"Old fashioned slumber party stuff? When I was your age slumber parties meant doing your friends make up and nails before dancing around getting drunk or sneaking out and getting drunk. Either way we got drunk and had a lot of fun." Caroline laughed at the old days.

"Mom! And I thought dad called us rebellious youths." Josie finally smiled.

"Was that with Aunt Bonnie and your friend Elena?" Lizzie asked cautiously, their mom didn't talk about Elena too much but when she did she would start reminiscing about the old days before she even knew what was coming out her mouth.

"Yeah it was. It used to happen a lot more before we found out about vampires and we became vampires or in Bonnies case a witch but once they did it just meant that we had a higher tolerance and could drink half the Salvatores wine cellar. The amount of times they had to refill it because we had accidentally drunken a bottle of a $1000 wine that they couldn't live without having on hold."

"The Salvatores? As in Uncle Stefan and Damon, dads friend?"

"That's right, actually while we're on the subject of your dad don't mention that I told you about me drinking so much at your age, he'll think it will influence you although his heavy drinking at that time is nothing to be desired either." She whispered that bit under her breath, the twins couldn't hear but that didn't mean Hope couldn't.

"Anyway that is the last waffle so let's open the icecream and eat them before I have to go to work."

KCKCKCKC

Sliding on her heals and picking up her briefcase, the blonde went to kiss her daughters in the head before heading to work.

"Bye girls, bye Hope."

"Bye Caroline." "Bye Mom, love you."

"Love you too, see you later."

"Bye."

Once Josie thought she heard the sound of her moms car roll off the drive way and disappear down the street she pulled back the curtain just slightly.

"She's gone Liz."

"Good now let's get the party started. Unfortunately we can't have music, the neighbours will hear and we are meant to be ill but that doesn't mean we can have other stuff." She and Josie began walking, with Hope following behind, to a room at the back of the house that Hope had never seen before. The walls were covered with books Hope had never seen before but some of them looked like grimoires and books on witch craft and occult studies? There was one desk at the far end, a really comfy looking chair and on the other there was two plain seats. It was like walking into the principles office or Elijah's study.

"Got the key Lizzie?"

"Of course, could you ever doubt me?" She asked as she pulled out a key ring dangling from her finger.

"What's that for?"

"A few years ago we found this key while we were in dads room, he had taken our iPad from us for "bad behaviour" so we went to get it back while he was at work. We knew he put it in one of the draws so we checked everyone except one which was locked. We presumed he put the iPad in there so we went looking for a key which is when we found this under that same chest of draws so we tried it and it didn't work, at this point in time we were so fascinated by what the key could be hiding so we checked every locked draw in the house until we came to this one and it opened this and it contained a very large liquor collection, all dusty so we presumed it must have been there for long time. Dad always drinks from the bottle kept in the kitchen so we just presumed he had lost the key and given up trying to get in so we kept the key. " She finished looking at Josie and Hope who were both staring at her.

"Sorry I babble, it's a trait I get from mom."

"Like Lizzie was saying, we kept the key hidden and when we were slightly older we decided to use it to party, only now and again like mom did when she was our age."

"Is that when your mom caught you drinking your dads bourbon."

"Actually no, that was on New Years this year. We were a bit high on the party feeling and totally forgot to look before we took a swig out of dads bourbon in the kitchen, let's just say we will never use that bottle ever again."

"Or at least until we're legal to do so."

"Won't your mom mind-"

"Hope we aren't getting drunk, just going to add a tiny bit of vodka to our coke to spice it up a bit when we play a few games. Anyway mom said not to drink out of dads bourbon not his vodka."

"You guys have thought this through."

"We have." They both said smiling as they did so at the same time.

Ok so that was kind of creepy.

KCKCKCKC

By the time Caroline got home, the girls had gone through 4 movies, lots of ice cream but barely made a dent in the vodka. Turns out that none of them really like it so when playing truth of dare, the dare was almost always to swallow a mouthful of the coke and vodka but even that was done painfully. While watching one suffer the other two would laugh at the faces made in the torturous process.

Despite what all their parents were like, none of them were heavy drinkers and they liked it that way.

Before coming in, Caroline stood in the door way watching her daughters and Hope laugh their heads of, they looked truly happy and without a care in the world.

"Hey girls."

"Hey mom." "Hey Caroline." They were still laughing as they said the words, tears even falling from smiling too much.

"I'm going to put something else on then I'll join you."

"Ok mom."

Caroline left the room with Hope and Josie cry laughing at Lizzie for complaining her cheeks hurt too much from smiling.

How was she going to tell these girls that in half an hour Hope had to leave?