-5-

Hope had to park a block away because of the tourist-littered streets. She jabbed her finger onto the window button to give the residual sourness of Elijah's bite wound a chance to air out of her father's vehicle. They'd be taking it to the beach tomorrow and, well, it was the last thing Hope wanted to think about while they all pretended like things were happy and normal. Her legs felt shaky and heart thumped wildly as her boots splashed in the puddles that gathered on uneven cobblestone.

This felt like defeat. Like her mother would not allow their plan and Uncle Elijah would not allow for betrayal.

The sway of jazz spilled onto the streets and Hope wondered what it felt like to be one of them. The tourists who decide to just pack up and bar hop in a new city, all laughs and eager grins as if life had something special about it. They didn't know they were just like little minnows swimming in predator infested waters; potential food for her family's and their vampire line's unquenchable thirst.

Hope's phone buzzed just as she made it up through the groaning iron gate of their home, letting out a growl of frustration when her fingers proved too wet to slide the answer button. Whatever, she was here and they probably heard her even over the rain rushing down on their courtyard. She used to love the way it echoed when she was a kid but now it just reminded her of the night her mother was cursed.

There was no forgetting the way Hayley's cries sounded between the raindrops as Hope huddled on the balcony above, her little hands gripping the ornate metal so hard she bled as Uncle Elijah pried her away. It seemed like ever since that night, someone was always pulling Hope away from her mother -like she wasn't allowed to decide the terms of their relationship or what she could and couldn't handle.

Hope nudged the door shut behind her and took to hobbling down the dim hall while unlacing the wet boots. Water dripped down her face, leaving her teeth chattering from the chilly air in their apartments.

"That you sugar plum?" Aunt Bek's elegant voice sounded from the common room. The clicking of her impossibly high heels sounded out down the hallway, blonde hair shimmering like gold. Hope threw herself into her arms and breathed in with a squeal of delight.

Klaus interrupted their reunion with heavy steps and a drink sloshing in his hand. "Where is Elijah?"

"He's not coming,the swamp air didn't agree with him," Hope shrugged, pulling away and facing her father. She was too tired to come up with something believable. They would only think he was too sad to be social. Not completely out of the realm of usual behaviors for her uncle.

Klaus glowered at her, as if the secrets were all over her scent. Aunt Beks shifted behind her. Hope noticed her father's face soften when his eyes drifted over her shoulder.

"Come, now we're both all wet. I'll let you wear something of mine," Aunt Beks suggested, taking her by the hand and gently tugging her down to the guest bedroom. She turned to Hope once she locked the door and turned on the old record player Freya had left behind, "tell me niece, how do you seem to get lovelier every time I see you?"

Hope smiled, her mind still reeling from the blood gushing out of Uncle Elijah's arm. She wants to go check on him, who knows what sort of pain he's in. If Aunt Beks caught on she would convince Elijah not to keep secrets. Uncle Elijah always says, 'If you think something will anger your father, you are probably right'. Hope had started to realize pretty much everything angers her father. Everything was a threat and everything was complicated.

"Come now, get out of those clothes and let me grow green with envy at your impeccable genes," Aunt Beks grinned over her shoulder from the closet.

Hope did as she was instructed, her mind still spinning through reasons for her mother to have behaved that way. Even in her wolf form, she shouldn't have seen Uncle Elijah as a threat. She was the one that begged him to look after Hope all those years ago when the attack happened anyway.

"I swear just a blink ago you were a skinny little thing. How many beaus are knocking at your door? Heavens, me!" Aunt Beks went on, tossing a dress on the bed. "Try that one."

Hope stepped into the simple navy dress, standing very still as her aunt zipped and tugged and fussed until she seemed satisfied. She didn't know why she had to get all dressed up when it was only family and not even all of them.

"There, look at that. A beautiful girl on the cusp of womanhood," Aunt Beks sighed wistfully.

Hope adjusted the straps and surveyed each angle of the fit. It was a pretty dress, probably expensive as hell. Hope was sure only she and her mother still shopped from Target for clothes. She remembered being nine and sitting at her Aunt's feet in her room, watching the compelled team of fashion designers get her ready for one of their many parties. So much fuss for such a small amount of time wearing the clothes.

"I look fat," Hope decided, sucking in her stomach and crossing her arms across her chest.

Aunt Bek's turquoise eyes widened, a hand swatting out to pop Hope playfully on the bottom.

"You have a figure, and a rather perfect one at that. We look similar, you see. From my mother's side of course. Though, you do have a much better chest than I," Aunt Beks tapped a finger to her chin thoughtfully, eyes scanning up and down Hope's body.

Hope got her breasts when she was just twelve. The boys at the bayou, who her mother always insisted she be nice to considering they were from her pack, called her Miss Piggy for years until Uncle Kol slammed a fist into one of their faces. He made her swear to never tell a soul and she had kept that promise even when they were at each other's throats. He also made her swear that she would stand up for herself next time; you're a Mikaelson for crying out loud, he said. There wasn't a next time though. The Crescent boys wouldn't even look at her now.

Even so, Hope never shook the feeling that she was the least attractive person in this abnormally attractive family. Her therapist said it was because she suffered from bad self esteem. It's like…no shit, what teenager doesn't? How much was her father paying for these sessions anyway…

Aunt Beks perked and paused, "Ah, my brother has arrived. Leave your hair, I always liked that wild eighties Julia Roberts hair thing you do with it."

Hope frowned at her reflection and wondered why Uncle Kol had decided to come afterall. Julia Roberts hair? Eighties? She had been going for a bohemian beachy fusion look. Hope followed Aunt Beks into the dining room, staring at the way her golden hair sat so perfectly straight and smooth across her toned back. She didn't even notice Uncle Kol until she ran into him trying to maneuver to her seat.

"Having issues walking are we, love?"

"Having issues with Davina?" Hope asked, glancing around with a smirk. Strange she wasn't here.

Kol shrugged and continued, pretending not to notice her irritation, "None with me. She takes issue with the way the witches of the French Quarter have been treated of course."

Hope's eyes drifted down and widened in surprise. Uncle Elijah was here. So that must mean her mom brought him her blood for the bite. Maybe that was a good sign.

Klaus pulled out Hope's chair for her so she could sit next to him and across from Uncle Elijah. Usually this was where her mother would sit when in human form, but it was always Hope's when Hayley was absent...which was most of the time. Hope was growing anxious to see her and needed to know why Hayley lashed out at Elijah. Hope clenched her jaw and gave him her most penetrating stare. He blinked away.

Uncle Kol sat next to Elijah with a heavy sigh, going on as if anyone cared to hear his voice, "She says it looks preposterous that Hope is allowed to use her magic anywhere she pleases while the rest of the witches are being policed like children."

Klaus let out a bark of laughter, "Oh brother, you have married such a delight. You can tell her that her presence was not missed and that if she wants to change things for her beloved witches then she could be useful and figure out HOW TO UNDO THE CURSE ON THE MOTHER OF MY CHILD."

Hope's eyes widened at the sudden turn in his temperament. Out of habit she glanced towards Uncle Elijah to better read if she should be scared or not. Living with Niklaus Mikaelson was like walking on eggshells most of the time. But when it was good it was great. Her father could make her feel as if the world revolved around her existence and that he would tear his own heart out to protect hers. She was lucky in a lot of ways to have him for a father. But he sometimes truly scared her. The warmth leaves his eyes when he's angry, it's like he isn't him anymore.

Uncle Elijah gently interjected, "Niklaus, our dear sister has returned and Kol has traveled great lengths to surprise us for Hope's trip. There will be plenty of time to remind our brother that he married a witch who happens to have a list of grievances towards us."

And just like that, Klaus softened and agreed as if it were his idea, "Yes, let us remind our brother over tonight's cigars what is of importance to this family." Hope cringed. Even she knew her life wasn't at the top of the list of importance to every family member. It always made her extremely fidgety when he alluded that the only way any of them would remain breathing was if they were considering Hope's safety and happiness in every decision they made with their own lives.

Klaus sat in his winged high backed chair at the head of the table, hands clasped as if he were about to pray over their food. Hope's mouth watered at the sight of the lamb and barley soup slowly being served by a compelled servant. Benny once asked if her father was ever a slave owner…at the dinner table…in front of him. Then Benny had the balls to laugh at Klaus's explanation of the difference between a slave and a compelled servant. Benny had a weird sense of humor and a death wish. Hope loved him like a brother; that's the only reason he was still alive or not the one serving soup tonight.

Hope's attention was yanked from the steaming bowl when her Aunt Freya and Keelin strolled in.

"Sorry we're late, we got held up," Freya announced, shrugging out of her wet sweater. The rain still hadn't let up by the sounds of it pelting the sides of the old home.

Keelin offered a big smile and added, "It's my fault. Oh wow, Hope, you look beautiful tonight."

"Thanks," Hope murmured. She was starving and irritated with Uncle Elijah, her mind racing through plans a-z of how to get her mother back regardless of what was said between them in the cabin or anytime after.

The dinner went on pretty uneventfully. Hope listened to their chit chat, everyone skirting around Hayley's return tomorrow and the fact that she lay by herself as a wolf in a cabin all day. They reminded her often when she was little that her mother was in less pain when in wolf form. It was the best option until they cured the curse.

When her father stood, it was implied that they move on to the sitting room where drinks and cigars were to be dispersed. Sometimes the women would stay put and sip at wine and smoke thin cigarettes from cigarette holders like Audrey Hepburn or Marlene Dietrich if the wine was plentiful. Tonight, Hope followed the men into the sitting room, causing the rest to follow suit.

She sat at the piano in the corner, using it as a table for her glass of wine. She was allowed one alcoholic beverage with dinner and one after. It had been that way since she was fourteen. Once her father got to drinking she would sometimes sneak more, though Uncle Elijah always caught her.

He was eying her now from his lax position on the couch. Aunt Beks draped next to him, her arm dangling over his shoulder and a smile at her thickly painted ruby lips. Hope wondered where her mother would sit if she were here now.

"Hope darling, play something for us. Elijah tells me you've become quite good," Aunt Bex said with hooded eyes.

"Maybe later," Hope mumbled, taking a gulp from her glass.

Her tone had likely been abrasive because nobody addressed her again. The conversations went back and forth, mostly memories of the past. Hope had heard many of the stories before, though more details were added the older she became. Like the story of Elijah getting drunk the first time started with him passing out after declaring his love to a married villager, to him pissing in his father's boots and making love to the married villager before passing out in the sheep's pin. Hope never understood what was so funny about it.

She had to pee after she finished off the wine. Patience was not her strong suit so as she breezed by Elijah, she grabbed his shoulder and squeezed. It had been their gesture since she was a little girl, letting him know she needed to speak privately to him. The others had of course picked up on this long ago as they were a bazillion years old and incredibly observant, but desperate times…

She had flushed and reapplied her eyeliner by the time Elijah met her in the guest bedroom.

"We cannot discuss anything here," he opened with. She hated when he decided things. This was her mother.

She jabbed a finger into his chest, "You will tell me what she said."

He trailed his gaze towards her finger, raising an eyebrow and lips twitching. "We will discuss this alone. We are not alone here."

She hated when he talked to her like a child. "I'm turning seventeen in two days."

"Yes, dear, I was there the day you were born. I'm aware." He was being an ass. He was doing that thing where he did anything but answer her.

Her finger pressed harder into his chest and she could feel his heart beating beneath. The wine was starting to hit her more than she thought so she dropped her finger, her nail catching on a button in it's descent. No sense in starting one of their fights that usually resulted in her not speaking to him for days. It was easier than admitting she was wrong. Her therapist suggested it was because she was insecure with her position in the family and didn't feel heard.

The wine got the best of her and she felt the tears coming. If she could just for once present herself without tears, that'd be excellent. He softened and remained silent while she hissed through a stream of tears, "you can't leave me out of this. We are so close. She's my MOTHER, Elijah."

Then she was being pulled into his arms and she let him hold her until the tears slowed, his thumb running circles on her bare skin. In a soft whisper so close to her that his words tickled her earlobe, he stated, "I am on your side. Always." She relaxed against him. He wouldn't have assured her if he weren't still on board with her plan. He never played games, that's why they got along the best.

"It is not over yet." he added.

Hope nodded and stepped out of the embrace, staring at the wet spot she left on his dress shirt. Elijah told her to leave first and to "perhaps play something nice on the piano for the family."

She chose Moonlight Sonata and she wondered if he noticed she played it better than him now.

A/N:

If you all have any questions or concerns I can address them, no worries! The part where Hayley says to take her back in the previous chapter, she means to her shack on the bayou where she lives as a wolf most the time. Basically she can't stay in human form for long without the potion to numb the effects of the curse. This is further explained in upcoming scenes. :) Though, I can see this is poorly worded because it can be taken the other way like she wants him to take her back romantically perhaps. But nope. Things have changed big time for all of them.

Thanks for all the well wishes, I am pushing fluids, combating fevers, and playing with my fics so that's been fun.

Reviews are appreciated!