RPOV
"Rose, you have some explaining to do,"
I took a deep breath, when I looked around the people that were once there were gone and it was just me and Nik.
"Ugh, It's complicated.'
"Well, I get complicated."
I sigh
"To understand what is going on, I will have to give you my full story. Not the one you know bits and pieces from. Because before today you knew me as Rose Hathaway dhampir runaway who got herself into trouble a lot but it is so much more now. And you have to promise you can get upset at me for not coming sooner or something like that 'cause I know you, Klaus."
He looked almost worried now
"Ok I promise"
"Well I kinda only want to explain this story once 'cause it is a mouth full, so how about we go downstairs."
"Lead the way."
As we descended the stairs, I couldn't help but take in the sight of the compound.
Despite my year-long absence, everything looked remarkably the same. It felt good to be back, even if my return was accompanied by complications.
In the living room, I noticed the pretense of everyone trying to act busy. Rebecca was reading a book upside down, Haley engaged in a conversation with Marcel about the weather, Davina talking animatedly to one of the strangers trying to get answers, and Elijah holding a baby, fully attentive. Their feeble attempts at nonchalance were amusing.
"You guys really need to work on your eavesdropping skills. I've been gone for a while, but I can still tell when you're listening in on conversations. Not nice," I teased, a sarcastic smile playing on my lips.
Responses ranged from "What?" to "I would never..." and everything in between. Their reactions only served to deepen my sense of familiarity and belonging.
"I missed this place," I admitted, looking around fondly. "So, I guess from what you overheard upstairs, you want to know what's going on. But first... Who are they?" I pointed towards the unfamiliar faces, seeking an introduction.
The male spoke up first "Kol Mikaelson" I quickly responded "Psychopathic sibling?" while the three familiar siblings exchanged knowing glances, confirming his identity.
The woman followed, "Freya Mikaelson. Long lost sibling." The revelations kept coming, and I couldn't help but remark, "You guys certainly kept yourselves busy."
Amidst the banter and catching up, Elijah's serious gaze met mine. He cut through the light-heartedness, reminding me of the pressing matter at hand. "Rosemarie, you're deflecting."
A chorus of laughter erupted at the mention of my full name. I warned Elijah, "Remember what happened the last time you called me Rosemarie, Elijah? Oh, right, Nik let me borrow one of his daggers, and I got to stab you." My smirk hinted at the playful memory.
Elijah relented, allowing me to steer the conversation back to the main issue. "Fine, Rose. I would like to know why you're running from someone this time."
Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself to divulge the complicated truth. "Well, you all know me as Rose Hathaway, the troubled teen runaway who always found herself in trouble. But it's so much more than that now. It's way more complicated—like 'against the laws of nature' kind of complicated."
I glanced at each person in the room, searching for their reactions. Mixed emotions of worry and curiosity danced on their faces, urging me to continue.
"Let's start from the beginning. When I was fifteen, I died in a car crash along with my best friend's entire family. That's when things got difficult because Lissa, my best friend, the sole survivor, brought me back to life."
Pausing for a moment, I let the weight of my words sink in before continuing.
"I came back as a shadow-kissed. A month later we ran away cause I didn't think she was safe anymore"
Curiosity sparked in their eyes, and someone interjected, "What do you mean by 'shadow-kissed'?"
"I'm still trying to figure it out," I replied honestly. "In essence, Lissa has a unique magical ability called spirit. She can heal living things, like animals, people, and plants. When I died, we didn't know at the time but she unconsciously used her powers to bring me back, I crossed over to the other side and was kissed by shadows. Since then, I've had a bond with Lissa—I can enter her mind and feel what she feels. It's not voluntary, and I've learned to block it to some extent, but it has side effects on me."
"Every Time she uses spirit It leaves her with a darkness that affects her. To help her feel better, I started to absorb that darkness, which had side effects on me—depression, and anger. But as long as I can burn it out of my system, I'm fine."
The room fell into a heavy silence as my words hung in the air. I knew what I had to reveal next would shock them even further.
"Last month, I lost one of my best friends—Mason. We were captured by Strigoi and held hostage for days. I... I killed the Strigoi that killed him and saved the rest of our friends."
Tears welled up in my eyes, and my voice trembled with emotion. Taking a moment to compose myself, I continued, "A few days ago, I found out something that shouldn't be possible. I went to Lissa for support, but she betrayed me, and now the entire Moroi court is after me, trying to kill me. Because I'm pregnant with another dhampir child. which by the laws of nature should be impossible"
My voice trembled with a mix of emotions as I finished recounting my story. The room fell into a heavy silence, each person grappling with the weight of my words.
Nik was the first to break the silence. He took a step toward me, his expression a mix of concern and determination. "Rose, we'll protect you. We won't let anyone harm you or our child. We're in this together."
Tears welled up in my eyes as relief washed over me, As I realized I wasn't alone.
Rebecca stepped forward, her eyes brimming with compassion. "Rose, I'm so sorry for everything you've been through. You're not just a runaway dhampir anymore; you're family. We'll do whatever it takes to keep you and the baby safe."
Haley nodded in agreement, her expression resolute. "We've faced countless threats before, and we've come out stronger. We'll face this together as a family."
Elijah's voice was steady as he addressed us. "Rose, we may be Mikaelsons, infamous for our troubles, but when it comes to protecting our own, we are fierce. We won't let anyone harm you or our niece or nephew."
Tears welled up in my eyes as their support enveloped me
"Thank you," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion. "I can't express how grateful I am. But now that all that sappy stuff is over I could eat right now.
Everyone laughed Marcel responded with " Of course you are hungry, When was the last time you weren't hungry?"
"Oh Shut it" which only made people laugh harder.
And at that moment realized that I was home
