Hey, guys! I know that I just uploaded twice in one sitting but in here and on Wattpad I was a chapter behind, now it's equal to my Ao3 account.
I hope you guys enjoy this chapter, I'm working on finishing the 22nd chapter!
Enjoy!
Be Somebody
Chapter 19: It's Christmas!
Everyone woke up with a squeal from Stephanie and they rushed downstairs to see her holding a huge teddy bear.
"SANTA REMEMBERED!" She yelled loudly and happily as she shook the teddy bear.
"Why don't you all look happy?" Stefanie asked confused.
"We are hungry, adults, to the kitchen!" Elena said seriously and everyone followed her.
In the kitchen Elena looked at them with her best "I'm gonna kill you if you don't follow this rule" face and said;
"No one is killing anyone today! Today will be killing free day and if it's not then I'm gonna kill you in your sleep! Now, Nansia and Damon are cooking, Caroline, Alaric, Lizzie and Josie you are getting the day off until lunch to fix your family! We won't ruin Christmas for Stefanie!" Elena said seriously and Hope looked a little uncomfortable.
"Hope you are spending your day with us." She said serious yet she had soft eyes.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Forbes-Salvatore, I didn't mean to kill you. It was an accident I was protecting Lizzie." Nansia apologized truthfully.
"It's okay, I understand, you did the right thing. I'm glad my daughters have you as a friend. Good thing is that I'm a vampire so I come back from the dead. You need to learn to control your magic." Caroline said seriously and finally stopping being in defense.
"Now, that we are done with Nansia killing Caroline yesterday, now let's get Christmas going right now!" Elena said decisively and clapped her hands and everyone nodded.
"Now, let's get breakfast ready." Damon said with the same tone as his wife. Everyone nodded agreeing with Elena for the sake of holidays and the Christmas spirit and little Stefanie that was left alone in the living room going through her presents and peaking at presents that wasn't hers.
Nansia made BLTs or as she feverishly defended them as toasts for everyone while Damon took over making the coffees like the doses while Lizzie took over putting the water boiler or the instant coffee machine. While Elena and Caroline were arrange which tray is whose and Alaric with Josie were with Stefanie to keep her from opening all the presents and Alaric was starting the fireplace and Josie was keeping Stefanie busy.
As they exchanged presents and ate their breakfast the atmosphere didn't feel all that festive or happy but didn't feel forced it was a perfect middle. They smiled and thanked for the presents then everyone disburse and went to do their own things which were mostly things Elena asked them to work on.
Damon and Nansia dressed as warmly as they could and got ready to go to the supermarket and for a small stroll around the city like they had planned the next day while Elena and Stefanie were starting to do some crafts and later would go ice skating once lunch was over along with Damon, Nansia and Hope.
Hope was video chatting with her family for the most part but later did some self-care routine trying to calm herself down from yesterday's events. She wanted to check in with Nansia and Lizzie but both girls seemed to be whisked away by their families'. Hope was slightly jealous and she missed her parents very much but tried not to think about it or else she would be blundered into a dark headspace and today was Christmas! It would be some sort of form of blasphemy if she thought dark thoughts, right?
Josie was completely in a state of anxiety and dread as she watched her mum and twin during their forced family day. She felt like bomb squad specialist watching the diffusing of an atom bomb.
Lizzie was numb and confused, she didn't know if she should give a second chance to Caroline and forget happened yesterday or head on with the trial…She tried to smile and laugh when it was necessary while they were out on their family day but she couldn't bring herself not to feel caged.
Alaric was tired. Just tired. He expected this to happen at some point, he anticipated it but not on Christmas and certainly not when couple months ago a random girl dropped on top of his office's desk and Malivore and monsters chasing them!
Caroline was in a neat freak mode trying to make this family outing just perfect! To salvage her bond with her daughters that she felt she was losing.
Elena was also tired but very hopeful that things will be resolved with Caroline and Lizzie while she was determinate to be there for Nansia and help her heal from the trauma.
Jeremy and Bonnie were video calling Emma letting her now of Nansia's recent freak out and they were being advised how to approach her from here on out while everyone else was busy. Then they were planning to go out for a walk or watch a movie or even spend time with Elena and Stefanie.
Damon felt very very anxious and protective now as he watched Nansia as they drove and she was texting to someone. He didn't know how to make her talk about what happened yesterday and how to be of help. Should he act as if nothing happened yesterday and try to distract her?
Nansia was making Olympic efforts to keep her mind busy as she last night spent most of the night crying or watching nightmares. And shoving pieces of her duvet into her mouth to silence the sobs being reminded of all the nights she's done the same when she was at home.
While getting ready and she had to strip from her pjs and wear normal clothes she watched herself in the full body mirror and wondered how could she forget such events? Was her dad such a bad man?
She got dressed and got ready mentally to smile, keep up conversation, be polite and keep a mental grocery list. She met Damon on the stairs and chuckle at how in sync they were and they climbed in the car.
"Can I tell you something weird?" Damon asked as they started driving away and Nansia nodded and looked at him confused.
"I feel that something big is coming and I don't mean about our little dysfunctional family I mean humanity…world wise." Damon mused with a little conspiratorial tone and wiggled his eyebrows while his eyes were widened.
"Like what?" Nansia asked a little interested and glad for the distraction.
"Like something is babbling and the world is going to turn upside down. I can't explain this…" Damon said as he was trying to explain the feeling of finality and change he was feeling.
He had started sensing this since the beginning of November when Elena returned from work and she was exhausted and she told him how she felt that they were having a lot of flu symptoms and then they would die or get well and be back within days and dead in four days. No one thought much about this but Damon being alive for more years than any human had the gift of recognized the signs of a pre-pandemic having seen how 1914's Spanish Flu Pandemic and was in the middle of the Cholera pandemic in 1863 up to 1875, roughly ten years after Stefan, his brother, forced him to turn.
"That is odd, Bonnie didn't say anything and I'm not a reliable source to validate your claim, Damon." Nansia said with a small sigh as they kept on driving.
"I'm sure with training your witchy instincts will develop." Damon reassured her and Nansia smiled softly.
"So, what is on the menu today, Chef Damon?" Nansia asked with a smile and Damon smirked.
"I was thinking of giving you the Chef's hat today, what is a traditional Greek Christmas dish?" Damon asked smirking as they kept driving slowly due to semi frozen roads.
"Even if you wanted me to make the Greek traditional Christmas dish I don't know how to make it, my family hated it. It contains the liver of lamp, olive oil, chopped onion, rice, salt, pepper, lettuce, dill and eggs and you make it into a soup. It's called Magiritsa but it's both an Easter and Christmas plate, Greece has various traditional dishes." She rambled with a scowl in her face and gagging in the process.
Damon laughed at her reaction yet kept driving.
"So, what are you making instead?" Damon asked her and she smiled.
"I can't cook a lamb but I can make sautéed pork with lemon sauce and colorful peppers." Nansia said as she had a dreamy look.
"Oh, we definitely are doing that!" Damon said as he sped off and Nansia laughed at him.
They arrived in the supermarket and the Christmas music was playing, the shops would remain open until 6 pm to help those who were working to grab whatever last minute items they had forgotten, when Nansia smiled at the sight of the decorations and Damon smiled watching her.
"Okay, Chef Nansia, first at the butcher's and then at the veggies stand and then we will see." Damon said with a smile and a cheery tone as he touched her back and Nansia jumped a little and moved away from him and he mentally slapped himself but Nansia hastily apologized and Damon just sighed.
"I'm sorry. Now let's go." Damon said in a soft tone and Nansia nodded as she cleared her throat and tried to focus on the now.
They shopped and exchanged funny stories while doing so.
"You are kidding now? Your sister did that?" Damon asked horrified as he tried to suppress his laughter.
"Yes! She stole a mini frying pan while I was looking through the cleaning area for kitchen appliances and hid it under her butt while sitting in the stroller! It was horrifying experience!" Nansia said laughing and Damon stopped putting items in the cart and was laughing uncontrollably.
"I want to meet this sister of yours some day!" Damon exclaimed as he tried to sober up and Nansia gave him a tight lipped smile realizing that she was here safe and happy and her sister was alone, miserable and afraid.
She wished she could time jump again and get her sister and then remain here, fuck their parents.
Maybe bring her aunt too…and cousins maybe that way 2149 never happens.
She then grabbed two packets of flour and baking powder and set them in the cart.
"She would have loved experiencing American Christmas, also she wouldn't shut up about Selena Gomez and how close she was at meeting her." Nansia said with a small sad and guilt ridden smile as Damon studied her and nodded.
"We will find a way to bring her here. Now, tell me, how did you sleep last night?" Damon asked her as they walked and walked through the aisles of food.
"I didn't sleep that well, I expected that after what happened." Nansia said with a disappointed shrug.
At the same time in the other side of the town, the Saltzman family were going out for a picnic as a family therapy and they found themselves at a park freezing and eating in a quiet and tense environment.
Everyone was looking at each other.
"Okay, I can't with this bullshit!" Josie exclaimed after awhile and Alaric with Caroline exclaimed at the same time;
"JOSIE! LANGUAGE!"
"Oh, spare me, mum! Lizzie is about to take you to court and you won't fight for her! That is all she wants, isn't that right, Liz?" Josie said in a tired and annoyed tone.
"Josie!" Lizzie sighed annoyed and embarrassed.
"What Liz! You are about to break our family apart!" Josie yelled annoyed and angry at her twin.
"Ha! Break up our family? You think we are united all this time? Dad is single parenting us for the better part of 10 years, a decade! Mum…Caroline had a chance to leave us when we were babies, she didn't not until we were five years old and you started to leave us for long period of times, the days became months, weeks and then years! Years mum! Why? Why didn't you trust us when we became teens to learn about the Merge and prison worlds from you and to help you while learning!" Lizzie exclaimed in an accusatory tone towards her mum and dad and Josie who had opened her mouth to contradict her shut it and looked at their parents too with an expecting tone.
Josie hearing Lizzie's accusations of their dad being single parenting them for the better part of a decade and scenes of every milestone they had the past decade and in all her memories their mum was absent. Lizzie was right…
"We didn't tell you because you were and are young! We want you to have some sort of normal life!" Caroline exclaimed in a "I did this for you!" manner and a little too desperate.
"Caroline is right, but give her a chance, Lizzie!" Alaric semi begged semi asked. He didn't want to spend the new year in courtrooms.
"Fine! A year and if you don't make up for it then I'm getting your ass in a courtroom." Lizzie said annoyed and stood up as she walked away.
"Lizzie!" Josie run after her.
"I said I will give her a chance, now we need to go back and keep looking for ways to help Ryan and deal with Malivore and figure out who is Nansia's biological dad who showed up at the bonfire and what are the Watchers. We have so many things to do and so little time, there's no time for picnics!" Lizzie whisper-exclaimed in a panic and Josie's eyes widen and she nodded agreeing with her.
"I gave mum a year because we need a year to figure out this mess! I'm definitely dissociating from her one way or the other, I deserve happiness and calmness not anxiety!" Lizzie whispered-yelled in annoyance and self-justification tone and Josie watched her sister and knew that she meant that.
"What if she really makes up for it?" Josie challenge her sister's view.
"Then we will see when we get there! Malivore, Ryan and Nansia come first. Our school comes first!" Lizzie said seriously in a louder tone than before and they knew that Caroline's vampiric hearing didn't reach them.
"Alright, but it's Christmas, Liz! I'm begging you, please! Let's be a family and go back to the picnic and let's enjoy the calmness before monsters come to us and we have to fight or die!" She said seriously and in a begging tone. Lizzie sighed and gave in as she allowed herself to be guided back to the picnic.
Josie nodded and they got back to their parents and Lizzie tried her best to be kind and enjoy it. She enjoyed the look in Caroline's face whenever she was listening to stories about Josie and Lizzie being small or teens.
Damon and Nansia were climbing into the car after hours of shopping when Nansia decided to say this;
"I'm sorry for being such a snowflake and ruining Christmas. Thank you for inviting and I'm sorry so many things have been brought out from my dark closet the past few days. And thank you for trying to be there for me, both of you and Elena, Bonnie and Jeremy. You didn't have to take me in but you did. Thank you! And from now on I'll bring on the Christmas cheer!" She said truthfully and in one breath as she tried to not cry.
Damon hugged her tight.
"Sweet Nansia, you are not a snowflake! You survived things not many of us can imagine…if you weren't a vampire or other supernatural being and you are a supernatural being, Nansia, you are a Petrova witch and from what I gather Klaus and Elijah were right, you Petrova girls have the fire in you. And Christmas, have a way of bringing unresolved trauma up and you have so many, it's not your fault. We are here and we will try to help you through this, but you need to help yourself too." Damon said as he walked over to her and hugged her and Nansia smiled as Damon kissed her head.
"Thanks, Damon." She said as they settled into their car-seats.
They drove home and she smiled looking forward to cooking.
She was met by Elena and Stefanie with Jeremy, Hope and Bonnie watching a movie.
"Hope, we are cooking, wanna help?" Damon asked her and Hope looked shocked at the question and nodded smiling.
"Yeah I do, but first may I speak to you in private?" Hope asked as she stood up and walked over to them.
Damon nodded and Nansia said she would take the groceries from the car just then Jeremy rushed to assist her as he put his jacket on.
Hope and Damon walked into the kitchen and Hope took a deep breath.
"I talk to Elena and I know it's time I talk to you too. Thank you for inviting me. And I'm sorry for what my family and especially my father has done to you and your friends. Alaric has been like a father figure for me and Caroline was…she was kind and helped me through the loss…I know she felt it deeply since she and my dad had a peculiar history and with your brother being good friends with my dad…it feels we are connect somehow…yet I can't shake the fact that my dad has wronged you in so many ways and I'm apologizing on his behalf. If you hating me since my dad is dead I can bare it as I said to Elena and I will find a way to get back to Mystic Falls if I'm not welcomed after this conversation." Hope said in a anxious ramble and Damon listened with his hands folded and smirking his signature smirk.
"Are you done?" Damon asked her expectantly and Hope looked taken aback by his tone but nodded.
"Alright, Stefan had visited New Orleans when you were little and saw the changed man he was, he wouldn't shut up about it the little time we had left before he died, he wrote it all in his diaries that I read once he died. They helped with the grief you see. Anyways, I'm sure Elena has told you this but all creature do mistakes, immortal or mortal, and your father did so many. It would be unfair to keep them over you, a young girl who done nothing to me or this family to hold a grudge against you just because of who part of your DNA is to me and my family. And since you and Josie and Lizzie seem to be finally getting along after YEARS of trying to make you girls friends I'm not an idiot to sabotage that! Plus now Nansia needs you three more than ever with everything that seems to come up during hers and Bonnie's sessions. Also, I have a gut feeling that you, Liz, Jo and Nansia would be defining role models to my daughter and you will do good to each other. I won't forgive you because I have nothing to forgive you for! You are welcome here any time you need help." Damon said in a soft, serious and caring tone as he held Hope's shoulders and had a kind smile on his face. Then by the end of his speech he briefly hugged the young tribrid and Hope was frozen in her spot.
Then saw Stefanie mouthing to her;
"Hug him back!"
And she smiled as she brought her arms around him and Damon gave her a squeeze.
At the same time in the parking lot Nansia was trying to strategize how and what she will bring inside first when Jeremy arrived behind her.
"Whatever it needs fridge or freezer goes in first." He said and Nansia nodded thankful for the push as she reached the bags with the frozen sweets and pre-made pizza rolls.
"How are you?" Jeremy asked her as he took some bags too and Nansia smiled.
"Weirdly calm. Why? How are you? I'm sorry for what happened…" Nansia said as she tried to play it off but mid-ways she decided that hiding her emotions might not help her figure out the whole ancestors thing and then move along with her bucket list of things need to be done.
"It's okay. Really! I'm doing okay, thanks for asking." Jeremy said truthfully and Nansia smiled as both of them carried things inside only to see Hope and Damon talking in the kitchen and decided to leave the groceries in the living room.
As they second trip was happening Jeremy decided to say this;
"Bonnie and I talked to Emma about what happened yesterday and she wants you to double your time with her after holidays…when you're ready to address it of course." Jeremy said in a hesitant tone.
Nansia fought back the urge to groan and yell at Jeremy that she didn't need that…but she actually did…she felt that all this…these disgusting memories and doubt was driving her insane she needed to put her house in order and then help her friends put their new home in order.
As Marcus Kane used to say;
"Head in order able to follow orders."
Marcus Kane…hah! If he only saw where she was right now…what would his thoughts be?
He didn't really like her but he did protected her when she needed it and even pretended to be hers and Thomas' "dad" when they were taken by Mountain Weather people, he jokingly said how difficult it was to raise twins to the guards as a way to make them believe they were his children.
Again with Thomas! What's with his name and face always invading her mind?
"Nansia?" Jeremy's voice brought her back from her thoughts and she turned to see him stare at her concerned since she had stopped walking mid ways to the porch.
"Yes? I mean yes, I think that would be the best for me but I'm not ready yet…I will let Emma know when I am." Nansia said disorientated and then attempt to pretend that she was 100% there and Jeremy saw that but it was Christmas so he would let it go.
They continued for one more trip and by then Hope and Damon were done talking and Hope was already starting putting things away as Damon instructed.
"Hey, Damon, what is going with the bar?" Nansia asked him as she was done taken her layers of clothes.
"Going well, why?" Damon said confused and Nansia looked skeptical.
"You haven't checked on it or left the house since we came and it's a very important time for shops…aren't you losing profit by not being open?" Nansia asked confused and Damon smiled.
"I have trusted employees who open and close and I drove by to check things out too and I have cameras' installed so if I feel that I need to check in with them I call them and watch through the app on my phone. Don't worry!" Damon said in a shrug and positive tone as he waved her off and Nansia's eyebrows furrowed but shrugged too.
"It's not 2019, it's 2027, technology has advanced." Hope reminded Nansia who chuckled and nodded.
"Yeah, I've noticed! It's just…still odd…and I've done this before but still…it's odd!" Nansia said in a shocked tone and Damon and Hope laughed at her as they shook their heads.
Then they started cooking the Christmas meal.
They were cooking also for the Saltzman family.
Ryan spent his time enjoying the views and trying to come to terms with what he was about to do. He lied to the girls that he found nothing new
Prague:
in Prague and tried to swallow the fact that he would have to betray them and then die.
He spent some of his afternoons with his old friend and the morning exploring and taking pictures and thinking about how he was about to commit suicide after betraying his new friend.
He prayed that the girls would have found something more. Something that will save them!
Nansia also hadn't made any contact with him in two days now and he was starting to get worried and whenever he would try to call her at night her phone would be switched off.
He was getting antsy and hopeless.
Back In US: Atlanta: Salvatore Household.
Back with Nansia, she was cooking when she was hit with the thousand bricks of realization, she hadn't called Ryan in two days! With her getting grounded, the memories, Lizzie's family drama and Christmas it went over her head!
"I need to make a phone call!" She exclaimed as she stopped cutting the peppers and rushed upstairs.
In her room she dialed Ryan's number and waited.
"NANSIA! Where have you been? Are you okay?" Ryan's worried voice made her feel guilty as she sat on her bed and sighed.
"A lot happened. I'm sorry. How is it going over there? Merry Christmas too!" Nansia said smiling and apologetic.
"It's beautiful. I'm spending a nice amount of time with an old friend of mine. What happened? Did you make any process with the ancestors?" Ryan asked her hopeful. Nansia knew instantly that he was lying, something in her was telling her he was lying. But couldn't put her finger on why.
"I did…um…I saw my great grandma and some others but…but I don't want to talk about this from here…I'm trying though. I promise! Sorry, I'm not online all the time but I'm grounded, me and the girls got into some trouble with the adults. I hope you keep enjoying yourself and you have a wonderful day ahead, I have to go back to cooking now. I called you because I wanted to check in." Nansia said with a hesitant tone and tried to rush the goodbyes.
Ryan didn't get to say anything back because Nansia had hang up on him.
'What was that?' He thought worried and something in his gut told him that she needed him.
He needed to be there for her not here in Prague! He took out his phone again and research for the earliest flight back to US and Atlanta. When he realized it was Christmas and nothing was available so he promised himself a day from now he will try again.
He went back to his friend Fabian and his family and tried to enjoy the Christmas feast as much as he could.
Nansia walked back to Hope and Damon while the kitchen had Christmas music playing loudly as they were busy cutting and looking over the meat that was already in the pot and cooking.
She smiled as she was asked if the cutting of the salad was as it should be and she nodded and went to start with the rice.
In the living room the movie ended and Stefanie went up to her room to play with her new toys and Jeremy's phone rang and went upstairs to talk leaving Bonnie and Elena by themselves.
They haven't talked about how they are and they needed to so they moved to the backyard where they sat with hot chocolate and they started talking;
"So, how are you? Really this time." Elena asked her old best friend.
"I'm fine, Elena, I'm not going to break…I've proven that, didn't I?" She asked rhetorically and Elena smiled a little guilty.
"Alright, so what is your thoughts on Nansia? Be honest, please, because I worry…Caroline doesn't seem to like her all that much and you are as always the diplomat." Elena said sighing as she laid her back on the chair of the porch table.
"I like her, she's troubled but she reminds me of younger Jeremy, in a sense? And a lot of myself on the witch department…okay maybe not so much she's far too careful than I was but still. Why?" Bonnie said a little reserved and cautious as she spoke her tone was calm and kind though.
"Because, I believe there's more to come…like Nansia's whole life is a dark, disgusting and twisted mystery so much that I don't know what to expect from her. When she disappeared that time and my mind went to possible scenario of her going back I felt horrified and sad, I don't want her to return to that place, ever! And I used to say to myself, oh she won't leave if she learns to control her magic, but then…but then two things happened, Bonnie, things I never thought possible." Elena rambled anxiously and she said it all in one breath.
Bonnie looked at her confused.
"What happened, Elena?" Bonnie pressed worried.
"I was visited by an older version of Stefanie who was so badly beat up and she wanted me to tell Nansia that she wasn't alone and I was so confused before I could help her more and ask more questions she disappeared and then I forgot about it until yesterday at the hospital there was this strange man claiming to be Nansia's dad and was asking me where is she…I don't know what to make of this, Bonnie…I really don't." Elena rambled anxiously and lost as Bonnie's mouth hang gaping and her eyes wide.
"How did he look? What? Does Damon know about Stefanie 2.0?" Bonnie asked utterly shocked.
"Yes, he knows about Stefanie but not about Nansia's dad…I don't feel safe letting him come near her, not after what she remembered about her step dad. She needs time to heal not get acquainted with somebody else who claims to be her dad. What would you do? I mean you have some experience with absentee parents." Elena asked concerned and Bonnie nodded equally concerned and in disbelief.
"I know, that's true but we need to talk to Nansia, tell her what's up because that is about her life and she must have a say if she's sees her dad or not or even if she ever met him, you forget she's from a different dimension and maybe this man is a her parallel bio dad and not her actual bio dad and saw her and got confused or something." Bonnie said seriously and concerned.
"You're right, maybe after today I talk with her." Elena gave in because as always wanted to control everything. And protect Nansia from more heartbreak.
Inside the kitchen Nansia was stirring the sautéed pork in the lemon sauce and the colorful peppers while Hope was cleaning out the rice after giving the instruction on how to do it by Nansia. Damon was impressed because he didn't expect her to know, he didn't even knew that tactic.
Damon was cutting the lettuce and tomatoes for the Chef's salad. Hope wanted to cut the cucumbers and Nansia wanted to make the sauce.
She was feeling anxious that the food won't come out well.
Just then she noticed the water in the pot next to the pork-filled pot and panicked.
"Hope! The rice! Is it ready?" She asked anxiously and Hope nodded and gave her the huge bowl that the good rice was stored.
She started to stir that too.
Just as they finished the pork and rice and let it sit a little she turned and gathered the ketchup, mayo and already cut lemon and Hope gave her a huge bowl, a soup spoon and the lemon grinder. She looked at the huge salad bowl and saw she's gonna need twice the amount of sauce she was used to make so she sighed and started pouring the ingredients.
Just then Elena and Bonnie walked back inside from their time outside and Nansia and the cooking team learnt it was 2 pm already and that Caroline and Alaric were coming back from their family time.
"Can you guys set the table? I'm done with the salad and I'm gonna try wash some dishes so they won't stay for the poor soul that will have to do them." Nansia said to Elena and Bonnie who nodded and started.
Hope and Damon were told to go get ready while Damon had to get Stefanie dressed.
Jeremy hearing that things were getting ready he dressed too and try to assist with helping set the table and taking candid pictures of everyone and everything for his and others' Instagram posts and sent them to the group chat he created last night to share photos and other things.
Nansia was done washing in 20 minutes so she rushed to get ready herself, choosing to wear a beige thighs length dress with puffy long sleeves and glitter all over it. She paired it with nude high hell boots with a see-through top and glittery shoe laces. She put her hair half up half down and the upper part she braid it. Then Hope asked her if she needed help with her makeup because she had already put on a matte red lipstick was ready to call it a day when she knocked.
That resulted into Hope doing her makeup which added the black mascara, the nude pink with a splash of red eye-shadow and a little powder so she won't shine in the pictures.
She felt beautiful and proud of herself.
As they walked down the stairs Lizzie and Josie gaped at them and she smiled as they run to go get ready too.
As she entered the living room Elena almost cried as she saw her and hugged her.
"You look so damn pretty! Like a different person!" Elena gushed and Nansia smiled shyly.
An hour later everyone was around the table eating and talking when the door rang.
When they opened the door they was a man from across the street inviting them to his house party later that day and they smiled saying they would be there, at least those who wanted to go.
Everyone had nice things to say about the food since it was something totally new to them and they exchanged funny Christmas stories and laughed a lot. Then they put some movie on as they tried to digest the meal while Elena brought the remaining cookies and they all snacked on them as a dessert.
It was around 6 pm when Nansia was napping so deep because she ate too much when she jolted awake her mind reeling from the dream she had.
It was the same bathroom scenes she had seen when she tried to meditate and this time the man wasn't her step-dad, it was replaces by various other faces of men that she clearly remembered frequenting her house whenever her dad was away for his 48-hours shifts on base. She thought for the longest time that these men were her mum's friends but now she was suspicious if she was cheating on him with them. How could they molest her?
She was breathing hard and having a panic attack when Hope came into her room.
"Your heartbeat is deafening what the hell is wrong?" Hope asked her concerned and annoyed.
"I remembered…I remembered clearly! My dad wasn't the one with the showers… my mum was cheating on him with these men that did this to me! He's a good guy, Hope! He's a good guy! He's the good guy! He doesn't know! He's innocent!" Nansia rambled relieved as she held Hope's hands in a tight grip and Hope was smiling thankful and then the two girls hugged.
"I'm so glad!" Hope mumbled in the embrace.
After that they decided to make a hot cocoa and put on some low Christmas music from YouTube as they sat in Hope's room and checked the presents she received from her aunts and uncles in New Orleans.
It was 8 pm when Elena came to check on them and ask them if they wanted to come to the house party to which the girls shrugged and started getting ready to join.
The house party was fun but Nansia and Hope didn't know any of the kids there so they sat on a couch with a drink in hand and some small bites food from the buffet and they started to people watch and chit chat.
They got bored so they decided to leave after alerting Elena and Damon of their departure and they walked around the neighborhood while talking.
"So, how are you and Landon going?" Nansia asked her and she sighed.
"Good, it just he's back at the school and I'm here and with everything I learnt the past couple days about his own half brother whenever I talk I feel that I'm lying to him which I am in a sense. I fear that he won't like how we plan on doing things." Hope admitted and Nansia understood what she felt and just rubbed her shoulder reassuringly.
"I hope he doesn't grow mad, he seems like a logical guy." Nansia offered reassuringly.
Hope sighed and then silence took over as the two kept walking.
"I haven't told Ryan the newest development with me trying to communicate with the ancestors…" Nansia said and Hope nodded as she looked at Nansia.
"You're going to tell him when it feels right, I'm sure." Hope said reassuringly and supportive and Nansia nodded.
They reached the house where Lizzie and Josie were in Lizzie's room talking about something while Caroline was working downstairs on her computer while Alaric and Jeremy were out in the porch with beers and Bonnie was video chatting with other witches who she met during her time traveling.
Nansia and Hope changed their clothes and joined Lizzie and Josie and they put a movie on while the twins filled them in on how the family day went.
They fell asleep around 1 am in their rooms and Nansia had a satisfied smile on her face.
So, what do you guys say? Messy Christmas right?
Tell me in the comments how do you see the story and rest of the vacation will go!