Hey guys. I know it was long, but as always, my work takes up all my time and energy. Then, I had computer problems and health problems. And very little free time. Despite that, I'm happy to have been able to do this chapter. I return after a long absence for a new chapter.

Good reading.

Chapter 9: The Twelve Sacrificed

It had been days since Hope had spoken to Bonnie about her time problem. Although she was reluctant to trust her, that lifted a weight off her to know that she was not alone and that she could have a new ally to help her return to her time in the future. She hadn't told her about her family connection with Klaus. This was still too dangerous information, considering that her father and mother had not yet slept together and that Hope had not yet been conceived. Until that happened, there was no way he would reveal to anyone that Hope was Klaus and Hayley's daughter. It was way too risky. She was so looking forward to being able to return to the future. Although she enjoyed the time she spent with her dad, she couldn't afford to stay any longer. The Quest of the Cure had only just begun, and the longer she stayed in the past, the more likely her future was to disappear at any moment, since she doesn't belong here.

While working with Bonnie on how to get home, she had helped Jeremy in his beginner Hunter phase. She had given him relaxation advice that helped him relax. The young man had kept his distance from his sister since he almost killed her at the Lockwoods, the day of the Miss Mystic Falls pageant. His subconscious made him want to kill Elena because of her vampire nature. Hope had intervened to remind him that Jeremy had power over his subconscious. She reminded him how much the young man loved his sister, despite what she had become.

One day, Hope and Jeremy, now wearing sports clothes, were on the dock overlooking the lake near the Gilbert Family Lake House outside of town, where they were practicing close-quarters combat. Jeremy wore pads on his hands to block Hope's punches and kicks when they came. The Tribrid told him about his current situation with young Gilbert's sister.

"Don't forget! Control yourself! It's very important!" she reminded him.

"You've been telling me that for days," Jeremy replied, throwing his fist towards his opponent who she immediately blocked.

"If you want to be close to your sister without having to kill her, you need to focus on controlling your subconscious. Your hunting impulses are still there, but you must control them. Not the opposite."

The two continued to fight, with Jeremy leaning back to avoid being punched in the face by Hope's gloved hand.

"You have good reflexes," the Tribrid congratulated him. "But you rely too much on your strength. To kill a vampire, you have to be much faster and more agile, or else you'll end up dead."

"I wouldn't want to hit you, Hope," Jeremy replied, making a move on his opponent.

Hope chuckled mirthlessly and retorted firmly.

"Why? Because I'm a girl? I'm not a fragile little thing! Don't be gallant! Hit me! Give everything you have!"

"This wasn't sexist! But since you want it!"

Jeremy tried to hit her with a right cross, only for Hope to dodge it and push him away from her. However, when she turned to punch him in the shoulders, Jeremy grabbed her arms and spun her around, pinning her arm behind her back. Annoyed, Hope muttered a spell under her breath.

"Dimitere."

The spell caused Jeremy to flip in the air overhead before landing hard on his back behind her. Hope used her werewolf agility to somersault through the air, landing with her legs on either side of his body and pinning him to the dock with her hand. Jeremy looked stunned and annoyed.

"Hey, what was that?" he exclaimed in frustration.

Hope grabbed his hand and helped him up.

"It was to prepare you for the surprise effect," she explained to him. "You must be able to anticipate every move your enemies make, to be able to respond much more quickly. Knowing how to kill a vampire is not a question of strength or skill. With your mind, you must focus to be able to identify its weak point and strike at the right time."

"You ask me to hit you, but you are faster than me," pointed out young Gilbert.

"Because you're not focused enough. You're too focused on your problems with Elena. Until you fix this, you won't be able to move forward."

Jeremy sighed with a look of defeat.

"I wish it was that simple. Just thinking about my sister makes me want to kill. And I know I shouldn't kill her, but it's stronger than me. I have to see her. That I try to stay in control like you showed me."

Seeing that their fight was going nowhere, Hope decided to stop.

"That's it. That will be enough for today. Bonnie told me that Elena will be stopping by here later."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Jeremy said worriedly.

"As long as you remember what I tell you, you should be fine," Hope assured him sympathetically.

Later, Jeremy was chopping wood with an ax while remembering the Tribrid's advice. Meanwhile, Hope was standing in the house with Bonnie.

"Thank you for helping Jeremy," Elena's friend said gratefully. "I didn't think I'd ever say this, but I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad to help," Hope replied. "If we're going to stop Jeremy from killing Elena, we might as well go through with it."

Bonnie nodded with relief. Then Hope asked her:

"So, you looked in your gram's books? A new lead that I wouldn't have seen in the Esther's books?"

Alas, the witch Bennett had no good news to tell her.

"I wish would have liked to find more. But there's nothing about time travel. And even less on your friend's spell that you gave me. But I keep looking. That being said, I might have better luck with Shane."

"Bonnie, we've already talked about this," Hope retorted firmly and categorically. "I don't want to involve Shane in my problem. The less people know about me, the better it will be for everyone. And I don't trust him."

"Why?" Bonnie wondered. "He has knowledge. He helped us break the Hunter's curse. Maybe he knows something about time travel."

"I said no," Hope replied in a tone that was not to be discussed. "If Shane learned my secret, it could lead to other time incidents. I've already caused some and I don't want to create more. If it gets worse, it could be horrible for you and your friends."

"I understand," Bonnie assured her.

They heard the arrival of a car outside the house. Thinking it was Elena, Hope left the house to discover, to her great dismay, Professor Shane. The latter quietly got out of his car, smiling at the Tribrid.

"What is Shane doing here?" Hope asked Bonnie who had just joined her.

"I swear to you that I didn't invite him," replied the Bennett witch. "It was Elena who asked him to come."

Awesome. The last person Hope wanted to see was Shane.

The teacher returned to the lake house.

"Hello Bonnie!" (His gaze lingered on the Tribrid.) "Hope! Hello again! What strange coincidence! So, what is the secret that brought you here?"

Hope remained neutral but kept a less than jovial smile.

"Hello again, Professor Shane. And my presence here isn't mysterious. I'm here to help Jeremy."

"That's so good," replied Shane even more delighted. "I'm here for that too. We could bond more, you and me."

"I'm just here for Jeremy and nothing else," Hope affirmed in a firm voice. "I don't want anything to do with you."

"When will you stop considering me an enemy rather than an ally?" Shane asked her, not losing his look of ecstasy.

The Tribrid pretended to think with amusement.

"Let me think… In a year, or maybe in ten or twenty years? Or… in the next century?"

Shane chuckled, amused.

"You've a sense of humor, Hope. Too bad you're not my student."

"I will do without you as a teacher," she replied with hostility.

Not long after, Elena finally arrived by car at the Lake House. Jeremy was chopping wood with his axe. When his gaze fell on his sister who was in the car, he hesitated uncomfortably.

"They shouldn't be here."

Hope and Bonnie joined him calmly.

"Elena was planned to join us," the Tribrid told him sympathetically. "As long as you remember what I told you, everything will be fine."

"They're here to help you." added Bonnie with the same tone. "Hope told you to trust us. Do you trust us?"

"Yeah, yeah, I trust you both," Jeremy replied, still looking at Elena who had not yet gotten out of the car.

"Let's go inside." his girlfriend suggested.

All three returned inside the house. After a moment, Elena finally got out of the car, followed by Damon, who was not happy about Hope and Shane's presence.

Inside, Hope, Bonnie, and Shane pulled together several chairs to prepare the group to gather.

Professor Shane guided them on what to do.

"Okay, listen, we are ready to get started, but before we can do that, we need her."

At that moment, Elena arrived at the open door of the Lake House. Being a vampire, she could no longer enter without being invited by Jeremy.

"In here." Shane finished when he saw Elena arrive.

"This is your house now, Jer." said his sister in a calm voice. "You have to invite me in."

Jeremy stared at his sister, both with emotion and hesitation. Hope came slowly towards him.

"Go ahead, Jeremy. Invite her to in."

"You can come in." declared the young man without moving.

Elena entered the House slowly, gazing tenderly at her brother. She touched his shoulder which Jeremy responded with an affectionate look. Then she came and put her things on a table. Then, to everyone's surprise, Jeremy took advantage of the fact that his sister had turned her back to brandish a stake...

"JEREMY!"

Immediately, Hope knew how to react with her werewolf skills. She came and grabbed Jeremy's arm and pinned it behind his back.

"Control, Jeremy! Control yourself! Remember what I told you! Control yourself! You can do it!"

While listening to Hope, Jeremy finally dropped his stake and looked horrified.

"I… I'm sorry, Elena… I didn't mean to…"

Elena thanked Hope with a simple look and spoke softly to her brother.

"It's going to be okay... We're going to get through all this together... That's why I came."

The others were stunned at the sight of Hope subduing the young Hunter with speed. After a moment of stupefaction, Shane continued as if nothing had happened.

"Well, we'll be able to start."

An hour later, Jeremy was in a trance and had been tied to a chair with thick leather straps around his wrists. Shane had set up a metronome. He started the pendulum which turned slowly back and forth. Hope sat next to the Hunter, while Elena and Bonnie sat across from him.

After a moment, Shane spoke.

"All Jeremy feels when he sees a vampire is a burning desire to kill them, even if consciously he doesn't want to. As in Elena's case, it's his subconscious that's calling the shots."

"So, it's with persuasion that we reverse subconscious thoughts?" Hope questioned, still not liking the teacher.

Shane nodded looking at Elena.

"Think of it as kind of a conditioned response, right? See vampire, kill vampire. What I'm doing is creating kind of a middle step. It's like a detour, where his subconscious learns to recognize you as someone he loves, someone he wants to protect. And that gives him a choice. He can choose to take the detour instead of the conditioned response." (He gave Elena an encouraging look.) "Okay. Talk to him. He'll listen."

"I'm not sure what to say." Elena stammered a little confused.

Hope intervened in turn.

"Tell him about your vacation house. And what it means to your brother and you. It has memories that are dear to both of you. You're the one who wanted us to do this here."

Shane agreed with the Tribrid's words.

"So, maybe just start by telling him why." he added, standing next to Jeremy.

Elena nodded then began to stare at her brother in a trance as she said:

"Every holiday, we came here. This place was family. And when mom and dad died, Jenna made us come here and we thought it was an awful idea, but it was like they were here with us. They would have wanted us to stick together, Jer. To fight for each other, no matter what."

Hope was moved by Elena's words. She recognized herself in her words. These words reminded her of the moment when she had lost both of her parents. She had forced herself to live her life fighting with all her strength. Maybe she had more in common with Elena Gilbert than she thought.

Jeremy opened his eyes. His gaze showed no emotion. He had his eyes on his sister. His eyes were hostile.

Shane then turned to him.

"Jeremy, how do you feel about Elena right now?"

But young Gilbert responded with a cold and hostile voice, staring wildly at Elena as if he wanted to attack her.

"She ruined our lives. She's not even my real sister. She's just the reason that everyone I've ever loved has died. She means nothing to me. I will kill her even if that means I die myself."

Shane broke the hypnosis by tapping his fingers against the wooden table, snapping Jeremy out of his trance. The young man then looked at everyone with hope.

"Did it work?" he asked in a calm voice.

Bonnie, Shane and Elena shared defeatist look at the results of this hypnosis session.

Hope, wanting to lighten the mood of the room, displayed a friendly look.

"Well... let's say we've made a little progress. Sort of."

"Yeah, a little progress," said Bonnie without the slightest enthusiasm.

Disappointed by this failure, Elena had retreated outside to the dock by the lake. She had been upset by her brother's cruel words.

Hope slowly approached her.

"I'm sorry, Elena. I expected it to work."

Without looking at her, Elena remained upset.

"Thank you for wanting to help my brother. Even if you're doing it because Klaus wants me to become human again."

"I'm not just doing it for him," Hope retorted sympathetically. "I really want to help you and Jeremy. If I knew a spell to reverse the thoughts of a Hunter of Five, I would have done it already."

Still without looking at her, Elena came to ask her:

"Why, Hope? Why do you care so much about helping us? You showed up at Klaus' house. You live with him. You're with him all the time. Why are you helping us if you're with him? Do you really care about us? Because everyone who said they were helping us take down Klaus ended up betraying us so why should we trust you? Stefan trusts you. Is he wrong? Why do you want to help us if you're with Klaus?"

Because I come from the future. I am the Klaus Mikaelson's daughter. And my future cannot exist without you and your family. I need you all alive, if I want to be able to return to my future and find Landon and all my friends...

Hope didn't know what to say to Elena. She had to contain herself all the time so as not to make the mistake of revealing part of her future.

Noticing her silence, Elena remained focused on the water.

"Yet another mystery you can't reveal?"

Hope inhaled slowly before responding in a saddened voice.

"Maybe because you and I have more in common than you think."

"What do you mean?" Elena asked confused.

Hope responded, trying to calm her emotions.

"I listened to you when you talked about the Lake House and your parents… I too have lost loved ones. Good people that I liked. My mom. And my dad. My parents are dead too. They died for me. To save my life. First, there was my mom. She was a fighter and she loved me with all her heart. She sacrificed herself to save my life. And shortly after, my father also died for me. He loved me too. Strong enough not to accept my death. He killed himself to protect me. Then, I know what it's like to lose your family. And me... I don't have any siblings. I have always been an only child."

She stopped talking, feeling tears coming. For the first time, Elena looked at her, this time with emotion.

"I'm sorry for you. So, you don't have any brothers and sisters. Do you have any other family members still alive?"

"A few," Hope replied, keeping her emotions in check. "I still have some, yes. I have aunts, an uncle... I see them almost from time to time, but most of the time I'm always alone."

She paused before continuing:

"Elena, I know you've had a difficult life. And me… My life has not been a fun at all. As you know, I'm not an ordinary witch. I'm very different from others. Whether with witches, wolves or even vampires. It was hard for me to live being different from others. Not forgetting those who wanted to kill me. Even before I was born, people tried to kill me and when I was born, it just got worse. Many people who did not accept me wanted to kill me, and others sought to covet me for selfish reasons. All my life I have been threatened. I was never able to have a normal life with parents like you had with yours and Jeremy. I didn't ask for anything. I didn't want to be like that. But I was born that way. I did not have the choice. I must deal with it. And it's hard when you lose your family. And you know what that is, Elena."

Hope stopped talking and began to lower her head. Elena stared at her, placing her hand gently on her shoulder.

Appreciating the gesture, the Tribrid continued:

"After the death of my parents, I swore to myself to remain a solitary girl so as not to cause other people to suffer. For a while, I didn't even want to get attached to someone so it wouldn't hurt. Then I fell in love with a boy, and everything changed after that. I made new friends. Good people who matter to me and I can't afford to disappoint them. And I do everything to find them. I fight for them, as you do for yours, Elena."

"That still doesn't explain why you live with Klaus. Why him? Do you even know who he is, and what he's been doing since he came to my town?"

"I know very well who Klaus is," Hope retorted a little harshly, then calmed down. "It's just… he and I look alike too. He knows what it's like to live being different from others, with no one to understand him. I can understand why. He and I are almost the same. He was scorned by his own parents and his siblings abandoned him."

"But that doesn't excuse him for what he did to us," Elena objected. "To me and all my friends."

"Of course not. I'm not defending him, and I understand why you and your friends hate him. But I feel like myself when I'm with him. And I believe it's mutual."

"If you say so."

For a moment neither spoke, then Elena asked:

"Recently, I discovered that I'm sired to Damon."

"Yup, I know that." Hope agreed. "Stefan told me."

In fact, her father had his suspicions. Caroline had confided in him during the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant about Elena's strange behavior, and he suspected a sire bond. Then, Stefan had confirmed it to her by phone a few days earlier.

"And do you happen to know a spell to remove that?" Elena asked again.

Hope replied without looking at her.

"I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Stefan when he asked me too. I don't know of any spell that removes a sire bond. If it existed, I would have done it already. I'm sorry, Elena."

The vampire Gilbert sighed with a defeated air and turned her gaze towards the Lake.

Hope understood the disturbing situation caused by this sire bond, but she could not intervene to resolve it at the risk of causing another time incident. She knew that after breaking up with Stefan, Elena was sired to Damon when she started dating him. So, Hope couldn't change that.

Then, Elena decided to change the subject.

"I didn't have the chance to thank you for saving me from the Hunter's Curse. I know you helped us save me. Thank you for not letting me down."

"You're welcome." replied Hope in an almost sullen tone, remembering what it had cost her to help Stefan's ex-girlfriend.

"Today I think about Jeremy, but I still sometimes think about Connor and what I did to him," Elena continued.

"You shouldn't have remorse for this Hunter," Hope told her, looking at her. "I'm not a vampire but I know what it's like to kill a human being."

"Have you ever killed anyone?" Elena asked intrigued.

Hope nodded remorsefully.

"Once. It was an accident. I didn't want to kill him. But it happened. I killed a man who was innocent."

"How did it happen, if I may know?"

"An accident. I was killing a group of dangerous, crazy vampires with my magic, and a human got caught in the crossfire. By the time I realized it, it was too late to save him. A man died because of me. Even though my family did everything to comfort me by telling me it wasn't my fault. You shouldn't feel guilty about Connor. You killed a man who wouldn't have hesitated to kill your brother and even Damon and Stefan. I killed a man who never hurt anyone. And that is painful."

Elena nodded emotionally as she thought about what Hope had just taught her.

"You know, you shouldn't stay alone after what you had to go through, even if I don't know all the details," Elena told her kindly. "You should open up more to others."

Hope chuckled mirthlessly.

"That's what everyone keeps telling me."

"It's the truth, Hope," Elena retorted. "And I think you know that."

"Maybe I should go back to Jeremy," Hope said as she left the dock.

She joined the House Lake. She passed Damon who stared at her nervously, but she chose to ignore him and continue her way.

Later, night would soon appear. Bonnie was doing her best to help Jeremy in his Hunter phase. She saw Shane and came towards him.

"Thank you for helping us," she said to him gratefully.

"You're welcome." Shane replied sympathetically. "Bonnie, I noticed that you and Hope seemed close."

"And?" Witch Bennett asked with a frown.

"And just a few days ago, you saw her as an enemy. And now both of you have become friends? What changed?"

Embarrassed, Bonnie searched for a justification then replied:

"Let's say that Hope is someone lost. She asked for my help to solve her problem. I felt sorry for her, so I agreed."

"Maybe I can help her too," Shane offered, smiling. "I would be happy to be of assistance to her. And show her my good faith."

"She asked not to involve you," Bonnie replied abruptly. "She's not the kind to publicize her worries. It's her decision and I prefer to respect her."

Shane frowned, wondering how Bonnie and Hope could have become accomplices in such a short time. Surely Hope must have confided part of her secret to Bonnie.

Then the Bennett Witch wanted to change the subject.

"I heard you talking with Elena and Damon. You seem to know more about the Cure and where it is. Why are you looking for it?"

"I don't care about the Cure." declared Shane. "I'm care about Silas who is just a simple fairy tale. When Jeremy's Mark is complete, I'll know how to take you there. Because you and your friends will need me when that time comes."

Bonnie nodded.

A little later, Hope and Bonnie tried hypnosis again on Jeremy, hoping to be able to calm his murderous impulses. They seemed to be on the verge of success.

"If we follow Shane's instructions carefully, we should be able to calm Jeremy's subconscious," Hope said.

"Do you think this will work?" Bonnie asked hesitantly.

"It's the only way, Bonnie. If we want Jeremy to manage not to kill his sister, we must go through this."

"Because you both trust Shane?" said a voice behind them.

They turned around to see Damon who had just joined them with his sullen look.

"We have two powerful witches here, and they choose to follow the instructions of a college professor who seems to have all the answers? Besides, Miss Weird Witch, weren't you the one who told me to be wary of Shane?"

Hope gave him a cynical look.

"If you have a better idea to help Jeremy and Elena, I'm all ears. If you know of a spell to reverse the subconscious of a Hunter of Five, tell me."

Damon looked up at the ceiling in annoyance.

"Professor Shane has been dipping into the magical herbs a little too much; if he thinks using a vampire to suppress the need to kill another one is gonna work on a Hunter. It's like dangling a cheeseburger in front of someone on a master cleanse."

It was Hope's turn to look up at the ceiling in annoyance.

"And what else do you propose, genius?" she said annoyed.

Damon sighed as he answered.

"That Jeremy just finds someone else to attach his warm and fuzzy detour feelings to. Gee, I wonder who that could be."

"That's why Bonnie's here," Hope pointed out to him. "She and Jeremy share an emotional bond. And since she's also friends with Elena, it will make the hypnosis easier."

But the elder Salvatore didn't seem convinced.

"By the way, Hope, there's someone who wants to see you."

"Who?" asked the Tribrid intrigued.

"A pretty, sexy brunette who asked to see you and she said it was urgent," Damon replied, resuming his usual smirk. "She's waiting for you at the entrance."

A woman wants to see me? Who? Not a Hybrid of my father. If Dad wanted to talk to me, he would have called me. Who might want to see me? And here, in a Gilbert House?

Hope reached the entrance and looked stunned at the sight of the person in front of her. It was her mom, Hayley, standing in the doorway. The young wolf seemed nervous, even worried.

Stunned and intrigued, Hope walked towards her mother with emotion. The last time she had seen her was at the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant, and she had made her clear to her that it was in her best interest to leave her alone. What could have pushed her to come see her at the Gilberts?

Seeing Hope walking towards her, Hayley looked relieved. Apparently, she didn't seem to be angry with her like last time. She looked really nervous.

"Hey Hope."

"Hayley? What are you doing here? And how did you know where to find me?" stammered the Tribrid, moved at the sight of her mother.

"Shane told me where you were," Hayley replied in a soft voice. "I need your help, Hope. Can we talk to each other in private?"

"Yeah, sure," replied Hope eagerly, shaken.

As they left the house, neither noticed that Shane had been watching them with interest.

The two women walked towards the woods without saying a word. Then Hayley spoke first.

"Surprised to see me?"

"Yeah, yeah. The last time we met, you asked me to get the hell out and stay away from you when I just wanted to warn you about Shane. But after that, I knew you had a deal with him. You didn't come to Mystic Falls just because Tyler got hurt by Connor?"

Hayley nodded.

"Correct. I don't feel good about it. I lied to everyone, even Tyler. He wanted me to help him get rid of Klaus. And I pretended to support his plan. I never intended to kill of Klaus. I just wanted to use him for a sacrifice."

"A sacrifice where twelve people must die?" Hope assumed.

"Twelve Hybrids, to be honest," Hayley said in a saddened voice. "I made sure twelve Hybrids were killed and Tyler wasn't one of them. It's part of the deal I made with Shane."

Hope looked stunned. She knew that her father's Hybrids were doomed to die, but not that her mother had contributed to it.

"Shane promised you information on your biological family in exchange for the twelve Hybrids," replied Hope.

Hayley nodded with a hint of regret.

"I never wanted to put Tyler in danger. But it was the only way I had to find my family. Shane was the only one with the info I wanted. I didn't have the choice."

"I'm not judging you," Hope told her sincerely. "I understand your reasons. But why are you telling me all this? I thought you hated me. That you didn't want to see me anymore."

"Hope, I'm not saying I forgive you for Chris' death, but I need your help. Since you're close to Klaus, I'll need you to help lure him to the Hybrids to make the sacrifice."

Hope looked stunned and looked at her mother with wide-eyed amazement.

"Woh, you're asking me to help you kill twelve Hybrids?" wondered the Tribrid, wanting to be sure she had understood correctly.

"I helped you save the hostages at the Mystic Grill when that Hunter threatened them," Hayley reminded her. "And you told me that you and I were both the same. If you're like me, then prove it. I'm not asking you to kill Hybrids, but to help me find out who my parents are."

Hope looked perplexed for a moment, then stated.

"Okay, I'll help you."

Now it was Hayley's turn to be stunned. She didn't expect such a reaction from Hope who remained calm.

"Are you really going to help me?" she asked her, shocked. "I thought I had to convince you. Why do you accept like that?"

"You said it yourself, you helped me," the Tribrid reminded her. "It's my turn to help you."

"Just like that?"

"Yeah, just like that."

"You don't fear Klaus's anger?" Hayley asked her worriedly.

"Klaus, I'll make him my business, you won't have to worry about me," Hope assured her. "However, I can't guarantee he won't do anything against Tyler. He will consider it an attack on him. I couldn't convince him not to kill Tyler."

Hayley sighed a little defeatedly.

"Anyway, Tyler won't be crazy enough to stay in the same town as him. He will try to hide somewhere. But I don't understand. Why are you trying to help me?"

"Because I want to help you," Hope replied, trying to repress her emotions. "And I have to do it for you."

Hayley seemed deeply touched by Hope's gesture. She seemed to have forgotten her resentment towards her.

"Thank you, Hope. I'm appreciate that."

Hope nodded, knowing that even though she was against this sacrifice, she had to make sure it was done.

My dad's Hybrids must die. They have to. Otherwise, Dad will never become the father I knew in the future. For my father to become who he needs to be in the future, I must make sure his Hybrids gone. It's the best thing that could happen to him so that he changes and our family changes with him. If not, then my future will be compromised again, and I will not be born.

She understood why her aunt Rebekah had destroyed Elena Gilbert's human blood bags. Not because she was angry that he hadn't saved her, but to open his eyes to family. Her father may have loved his siblings, but he lacked family affection. The affection he didn't get from his parents. Hope understood better how her birth had changed everything in the Mikaelson family.

"I promise I'll help you." Hope assured her sympathetically.

"Thank you very much Hope," Hayley replied with a smile. "Hurry up. We don't have much time. We need to get back to Mystic Falls. My car isn't away. I can drop us off there."

A car ride with her mom. That suited Hope perfectly.

She sent a message to Bonnie telling her that she had to go to Mystic Falls to resolve a problem that concerned her future.

Neither of them had said a word since leaving the Lake House. Hayley simply started her car and started driving. Hope had settled into the seat next to her. It had been a long time since her mother had taken her for a ride. She felt like she had gone back years. The time she was in the car with her mom. A wonderful memory.

Hope stayed in her memories for a moment, then Hayley broke the silence.

"Hope, what are you doing with Klaus? Why are you with him all the time?"

Frowning, the Tribrid stared at her mom.

"I thought you didn't want us to become friends?"

"Just curious. Klaus is the worst monster. What's a girl like you doing with him?"

"He's not a monster," Hope said firmly. "He didn't have an easy life."

"That's not an excuse, Hope," her mother replied softly. "Many people don't have an easy life. This doesn't mean that they become psychopaths."

Hope had to suppress a sarcastic laugh. During her early childhood, her mom had always hidden her father's dark nature from her. She told her that he was a handsome prince charming who protected his family. She had never spoken ill of him. She had a hard time believing it was the same person she had next to her.

"Believe me, there are monsters who are even much worse than him," Hope replied firmly, thinking about the threats she knew in her future. "If you got to know him, you'd be surprised to see what Klaus is really like."

Hayley chuckled mirthlessly.

"I have no desire to know him. All the better if you consider him your friend. But you can't expect everyone to share your opinion of him. You better be careful, Hope. You're taking too many risks. You should let it go."

If only you knew how much...

Hope looked at her mom with heartbreak. If only she could confide in her mother. Tell her the truth. She was more than tired of having to hide her bond with Klaus and with Hayley.

"I have my reasons for staying with Klaus," she replied. "But I can't reveal them to you."

"Why?" Hayley said, frowning as she drove. "Can't or won't?"

"Trust me, there's a lot of envy. I wish I could tell you everything. I really want it. But if I tell you, it could put me in danger. And not just me. Other people would also be in danger. I am forced to keep certain things secret for the greater good. Even if I hate having to contain myself. It's torture for me not to be able to say anything."

Hayley glanced at Hope before turning her attention back to the road. She seemed to care about the Tribrid.

"You don't want to say anything to me, but you can tell Klaus."

"Even Klaus doesn't know why I hang out with him. I have to hide things from everyone. To you, to Klaus, to the Salvatores, Bonnie and even Elena Gilbert. I didn't plan to end up in Mystic Falls. It was accidental. And I made a mistake which led me to have to take risks for myself and which forced me to keep quiet so as not to put those around me in danger. I don't want to hurt anyone! I just want to go home! And Klaus allows me to stay at his place until I find a way to get back to my loved ones! You want to find your family. I want to go home! And for that, I must hide my secret no matter what! And I hate it! I hate being forced to say nothing! Hiding things and containing myself! I have to be careful what I say! I'm sorry, Hayley! I wish I could tell you, but it's too dangerous!"

Hayley seemed emotional as she listened to her daughter. She was troubled by the girl's distress.

After a silence, she spoke to her sympathetically, in a tone that reminded Hope of her maternal side. She looked like a mom who wants to reason with her child.

"You can't do it, Hope! Even if you have good reasons to hide things, if you continue like this, you'll lose yourself! You'll get down! And you'll only get yourself into more trouble!"

"I know that." Hope said in an agitated voice. "But I have no choice."

"Go with me," Hayley told her. "Once Klaus kills his Hybrids, we will both leave the town together. Come with me."

Hope remained mixed. The idea of going with her mother was tempting. And she wanted more than anything to spend time with her, even if she didn't know she was her daughter. Unfortunately, this was impossible. She couldn't afford to leave Mystic Falls. Especially after the mess she had unknowingly created.

"I can't leave, it would attract too much attention. And Klaus would start looking for us. If you need to reunite with your family, you won't be able to do so if he comes after us. The last thing you need is to have Klaus as an enemy."

"So, what are you going to do?" Hayley wondered. "Other people will want to know your secret and they won't be kind to you. The more you hide, the more determined they will be to find out who you are. You'll be in constant danger. It will be like being in a lion's den. You can't hide forever, Hope."

"I'll get through this. I appreciate that you want to help me. And I would really like to go with you. But I cannot. I might put you at risk, and you don't need that. The last thing I want is for you to end up in danger."

Her mother gave her a grateful look.

"I care that you want to protect me, Hope. Ever since we met at Tyler's, I feel like there's a bond between you and me. Like we're supposed to be close. I don't know why I feel this way. Could this be linked to your secret?"

Would Hayley resent being Hope's mom? Did she feel the maternal instinct?

"Maybe it's possible. You leave town after that. Will you come back?"

"I don't intend to come back, unless I am forced to," replied her mother while driving.

So, her mom left town. And after? How had her parents ended up sleeping together? Hope knew this happened after the Quest for the Cure. This would mean that at the end of the Quest, something would happen that would bring Hayley back to Mystic Falls and end up spending time with her father.

Then, Hope had to make sure everything happened exactly the same so she could be conceived.

At the Lake House, Elena had just taken out a box full of Christmas decorations. She was confident that Bonnie and Shane would succeed in stopping her brother from killing her. But Damon didn't share her optimism.

"I think Shane's gonna get us through this." Elena told him. "I trust him. But you clearly don't."

"Maybe because I think he blew up twelve people at the Young farm." Damon replied.

"What?"

"Little tip, Professor," Damon said, raising his voice. "I heard you before you even took your first step."

Elena looked up to see Shane standing at the entrance to the room. The professor was content to remain neutral.

"I see we're back to the false accusation part of our relationship."

"What is he talking about?" Elena exclaimed perplexed, frowning.

Shane chuckled in amusement before retorting:

"Damon and Hope discovered that I was in contact with Pastor Young prior to the explosion at the Young farm. And the Pastor was severely depressed. He had lost his wife to cancer, and he sought me out for a little supernatural assistance. I tried to help but he was too far gone. I just – I never expected that he would take eleven innocents with him."

Before Elena and Damon could hear the news, Jeremy and Bonnie joined them.

"Elena!" exclaimed her brother.

Seeing Damon approach him cautiously, Jeremy reassured him.

"It's okay. I think we've got this."

His sister had a semblance of hope. Would her brother stop trying to kill her?

"Elena," said Bonnie. "Don't move, okay? No matter what."

Elena noticed that Jeremy was holding a piece of stake along his leg. The piece of wood seemed sharp enough to kill her.

Shane intervened in front of the young man.

"Jeremy, remember the detour. Choose the right path."

Jeremy nodded and started walking towards Elena. Damon intercepted him with hostility, blocking his way. Jeremy looked at Bonnie who smiled at him. Then looked at the stake, then handed it to Damon to take. The elder Salvatore took it from him and let him walk towards Elena. Jeremy stopped in front of Elena and wrapped his arms around her. The young Gilberts hugged each other tenderly, both smiling. Bonnie smiled at them as well.

"So, it really worked?" Damon wondered. "I didn't expect that."

"I told you, Damon," Shane retorted. "I knew what I was doing."

"It wasn't just you who was involved," the vampire pointed out. "Where is Hope? Is Miss Weird Witch going to a campfire in the woods?"

"Indeed, Hope's absence is rather strange," admitted the professor, pretending to be surprised.

Bonnie was quick to intervene.

"Hope had to go back to town. She must... resolve a problem that concerns Klaus."

But neither Damon nor Shane seemed to believe a word she said. They both stared at her with wide eyes. Seeing the unease in the room, she took her leave.

Damon started to follow her.

The witch Bennett hadn't noticed that she had left her phone on the table. Intrigued, Shane took it and read messages written between Hope and Bonnie. He read a message from Hope that said, "I have to go away. I have to solve a problem that involves preserving my future." Then Bonnie wrote in response: "Okay be careful."

Perplexed, he began reading several other old messages.

Bonnie was putting away the candles and the metronome when Damon joined her.

"Bonnie, what the heck is going on?"

"What are you talking about?" asked the witch Bennett.

"I'm talking about you and Hope. In what world do you and Klaus' witch become friends? I'm not stupid. Isn't there something I should know?"

Bonnie sighed and retorted to the vampire.

"Hope has a lot of worries. She isn't a dangerous person, although she lives under the same roof as Klaus. She asked for my help. So, I give her a hand."

Damon was stunned. He hadn't expected that.

"Are you kidding me? Hope acts the orphaned victim in front of Elena, and to you, she asks you to help her, and you answer her: "Yeah, sure!"? Bonnie, what the hell is that? Since when do you associate with a witch we don't know? First Stefan and now you?"

"Damon, she asked me not to tell anyone. I'm sorry. But that's her problem, not yours. A problem that doesn't concern us at all," Bonnie replied categorically.

"What did she tell you to make you follow her?" Damon asked with a sullen look.

"Nothing we already know about her," Bonnie replied fiercely. "She hasn't told me anything about her connection to Klaus, or why she lives with him. I don't know any more about that than you!"

"She must have told you something about herself," Damon insisted. "She knew I told you about her blood that cured me of werewolf toxin. And she even tortured me to keep me quiet. Damn, I felt pain like I had never had in my life! She probably told you something important enough for you to keep her secret!"

"Damon, I don't have to justify myself!" Witch Bennett retorted sternly. "I don't have to answer to you. And instead of wondering about Hope, you should instead find out how to break your sire bond with Elena, if you really love her like you say."

With these words, she left him completely dazed.

Hope and Hayley had arrived in Mystic Falls in the middle of a winter holiday. In the town square, there were people celebrating. Some were dancing, others were drinking.

Hope had separated from her mother to look for her father. She found him near the Mystic Grill wearing a nice black suit. He had one of his paintings exhibited inside the restaurant. One painting depicted a postmodern snowflake.

After a while, she found her mom.

"Where were you?

"I had to take care of Tyler's girlfriend," Hayley replied. "She was going to ruin the whole sacrifice."

"You didn't kill her?" Hope said anxiously.

"No, relax." her mother assured her. "I just broke her neck. She'll get over it. Klaus's there. Hybrids are where they are. I made them believe that a witch is going to join them there to help them kill Klaus."

"All we have to do is attract him to them," declared Hope. "I'll see what I can do for Tyler. But like I told you, I can't guarantee you that he won't do anything to him."

"First the Hybrids, then Tyler," Hayley replied.

She joined Klaus.

"Hey, love." exclaimed the Original Hybrid with a delighted grin. "What do I owe this visit?"

"I didn't come to admire your painting, but I need to talk to you," Hayley replied in a firm tone.

"And it seems to be important," said Klaus, noticing the young woman's determination.

"You should come. Hope and I have something to tell you. Just now."

And she left him. Hope came to join him, while Stefan started to join Klaus.

"She doesn't like me much." commented the Original Hybrid as she watched Hayley leave.

He saw Hope and greeted her warmly.

"Hope, sweetie, good to see you. If you're here, that means our new Hunter is ready to kill vampires to complete his mark."

"Jeremy will wait." Hope replied abruptly. "We have other problems."

Klaus nodded, then turned his attention to Stefan. He frowned suspiciously at the sight of the vampire Salvatore.

"And you, Stefan? Where have you been all day?"

"I've been around." Stefan replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"I'm not interested in vagary!" Klaus retorted sternly with hostility. "You've been dodgy, and Caroline's been lovely, which I've come to recognize as a tool of distraction, now, do you have something to share with me or should I compel it out of you?"

Knowing he couldn't keep anything from him, Stefan responded in a neutral voice.

"Well, I broke into your safe to look for the sword."

"The sword?" Hope wondered. "Are you talking about the sword that will be used to find the Cure?"

"Yes, this sword," confirmed the vampire.

"Why?" Klaus replied, his voice still hostile.

"Because I don't trust you." Stefan replied with a fearless look.

Klaus, doing everything not to be irritated, replied:

"I showed you the sword. I explained its value. I've been on your side the entire time. What do you want from me? A secret brotherhood handshake?"

"I found the letters." Stefan added.

Suddenly, Klaus smiled at him smugly.

"What letters?" Hope continued, confused.

"Letters from his victims," Stefan replied, looking at the young girl. "He'd a few pen-pals over the centuries."

Still smiling, Klaus simply replied:

"Well, is keeping my victims' letters really so different from writing their names on a wall? Like you did, Ripper?" (He smiled proudly at the word. Then he shrugged his shoulders.) "Loneliness, Stefan. That's why you and I memorialize our dead. There's the briefest of moments before we kill where we literally hold their life in our hands and then we rip it away. And we're left with nothing. So, gathering other peoples' letters or writing their names on a wall is a reminder that in the end we're left infinitely and utterly alone."

Hope looked shocked by what her father had just said. Is this how he justified his immortality? If she activated her vampire side, would she become like him? Had her father still held his current beliefs when she was a child? She regretted not having the father she had known when she was younger.

Klaus turned away from Stefan and addressed his daughter.

"Hope, I understood that you wanted to talk to me. If it's about my letters..."

"I don't care about the letters. We have a bigger problem!" Hope alerted him.

"What's going on, Hope?" Stefan asked, noticing the girl's worried look.

- Stefan, that's not concern you," the Tribrid told him with a pleading look. "What I have to tell him isn't about Elena or the sword or the Cure. Leave us, please."

Stefan nodded then finally walked away. Hope turned to her father.

"Did Jeremy go after Elena Gilbert?" Klaus said worriedly.

"Elena and Jeremy are both fine," she assured him. "It's not about the Cure, it's about you."

"What, me?"

"There's a plot against you. Tyler made your Hybrids turn against you. He freed them from you. They are no sired to you. Hayley told me that. Your Hybrids are trying to kill you!"

"What?" Klaus exclaimed, stunned and angry.

He took a moment to process the news, then stared at his daughter with the gaze of a wild animal ready to attack.

"How many Hybrids are no longer sired to me?"

"All of them," Hope replied. "I'm sorry to tell you this. But when I found out, I wanted to let you know before they tried to kill you!"

"Thank you." Klaus told him with a grateful tone. (Then he resumed his angry tone.) "Do you know where they are?"

"Adrian must come to you to take you to them in the Lockwood cellars. If you follow him, you will find them."

Klaus nodded and saw Adrian, one of his Hybrids. Hiding his ferocity, he came to follow his Hybrid leading him towards the others.

Once her father moved away from her, Hope sent a written message to her mother.

"Klaus gonna to kill the Twelve Hybrids."

Meanwhile, Tyler was walking through the crowd, trying to reach his mom by phone. He left her a message.

"Hey mom, I don't see you. Things have changed, it's gonna be fine. I'll be back later. I'll pick you up."

He saw Hayley walking through the crowd. He hung up and joined her.

"What are you doing here? What are you doing with Hope? Why is she there? You're supposed to be taking the witch to the Cellar."

"There is no witch, Tyler." Hayley declared in a serious and distraught tone.

Tyler looked perplexed.

"What?"

"I made it up." she continued with guilt. "I never intended for you to put Klaus down. I needed him for the sacrifice."

"The what?" the disoriented young man wondered.

"I don't know how to explain it, but I made a deal with someone who can help me find my family." Hayley continued.

But Tyler grew increasingly confused and disoriented by these revelations.

"What are you talking about? What kind of deal?"

"There needed to be twelve for the sacrifice, Tyler."

"Twelve what?" Tyler asked, stunned.

"I'm so sorry, Tyler," Hayley replied guiltily. "I had no choice. I asked Hope to help me attract Klaus for the sacrifice. He must be killing them right now."

"Hayley, what did you do?" Tyler said angrily this time.

"If you run now, you might make it out alive. But Hope won't be able to protect you from Klaus. You have to leave and quickly!"

Tyler stared at Hayley with a mixture of shock and horror, backed away without taking his eyes off her, then finally fled through the crowd.

In the woods, near the Lockwood cellars, the Hybrids waited for news. A witch had to come to help them kill Klaus. At least, that's what they believed. Adrian arrived towards them, followed by Klaus. Within seconds, the Hybrid had his heart ripped out, much to the horror of the others.

Klaus stood in front of all his Hybrids, holding Adrian's bloody heart in his hand. He knocked it to the ground. His face showed nothing but pure rage. He held the Hunter's sword in his hand and rushed like a mad lion at the Hybrids, striking them with the sword. He has slashed at one of the Hybrids who falls to the ground, dead. Another Hybrid jumped at him, ready to attack him, but Klaus cut off his head with the sword. Then he cut off the head of another Hybrid. And he threw the sword at another Hybrid and pinned him to a tree. Klaus pulled the sword out of the now dead Hybrid's chest and slit the throat of another of his Hybrids.

He stood in the middle of all the dead Hybrids. He inhaled sharply and blood had splattered down the front of his shirt. He heard Kim the last remaining Hybrid crying and hiding in the Lockwood basement. He began to follow her. Kim walked down the remaining stairs and looked up from the ground as Klaus came down towards her. She tried to move away from him. She stood up and grabbed the bars of the cellar, desperately trying to find a way out as she continued to sob. She turned and saw Klaus coming towards her without the slightest trace of pity or remorse in his eyes. His face was expressed with terrible rage.

"Where is Tyler Lockwood?" he asked in a calm voice but with a very hostile and blood covered look.

Kim was too scared to answer. She began to sob. Klaus pointed the sword at her throat and moved closer to her.

"You'd do well to answer me, love."

At his words, he placed the blade of his sword against Kim's throat and shouted at her angrily.

"WHERE IS HE?!"

Kim, with tears in her eyes, could only answer him:

"I don't know!"

"Wrong answer." replied Klaus, still angry.

He thrust the blade into his throat. Kim gasped, but Klaus managed to drive the blade into her neck and cut off her head. He turned and walked away. His face no longer had the slightest trace of rage but seemed full of sadness and loneliness. He let out a long sigh.

Hayley had returned to her car and was preparing to leave town. Hope joined her.

"It's done," she announced to her. "Shane got his sacrifice. Tyler's still alive. Klaus didn't kill him."

"Good," her mother replied abruptly.

She turned to face her daughter.

"I still can't convince you to go with me?"

Hope seemed moved again.

"I would really like to go with you. But I can't leave town yet without making sure there are no consequences for the mess I caused here. And that's my problem, not yours."

Hayley nodded understandingly. Then, she warned her:

"Hope. Shane's starting to be obsessed with your secret. He thinks you're a brand-new supernatural creature that no one has ever known. And I think he certainly won't be the only one obsessed with you. Others will be interested in you and will do everything to get their answers about you. You have to be prepared for that."

"I'm aware of the risks that I run," said her daughter, nodding her head. "I know what to expect. I'll be alright. Don't worry about me."

"So shall we say goodbye?" she told her.

"I hope to see you again soon before I leave," replied Hope, still moved.

"Then, we'll see you soon," replied her mother, smiling. "See you soon, Hope."

Without thinking, the Tribrid latched onto Hayley in a warm embrace, closing her eyes. She wasn't worried about her mother, knowing what would happen to her. But being able to squeeze her like that again. Feeling like she had found her again brought her both relief and pain. What was even worse was that she knew her time in the past was limited. And the idea of having to leave both of her parents still alive was going to make her suffer in a way she couldn't describe. She was her mother. Her mother who had died in his future. And now she had her back in her life only to lose her soon. This thought was unbearable to her.

Hayley was initially surprised by the hug but didn't object and began to hug her back.

"Thank you for helping me, Hope. It was important to me. And I regret having had to come to such extremes."

"You did the right thing," replied Hope simply, still clinging to her mother. "It had to be done."

You don't know how essential the death of the Hybrids is for Dad to change. So that he understands what family really is.

Hope, with great pain, finally pulled away from the embrace and looked at her mother, trying not to cry.

"I know you're not my mom. But I'm really going to miss you, Hayley."

Hayley beamed at her.

"You have my number if you ever need me."

"If I need you, I won't hesitate to call you," the Tribrid assured her.

"Okay, it's time for me to go," Hayley said, opening her door. "Goodbye Hope."

And she got in her car, started it and left town under the sad gaze of Hope who didn't take her eyes off her until she could no longer see her.

"Goodbye, Mom," she whispered in shock.

Soon after, she returned to the Mystic Falls square, where she saw Carol Lockwood walking near the fountain, staggering with a glass of champagne in her hand. Hope saw her on the phone wanting to reach Tyler.

"Tyler, honey, you're supposed to be my sober cab. I think I drank half the party." she said, sitting down at the edge of the fountain and putting down her glass and her phone.

She was removing her shawl when Hope saw her father joining her. And she was shocked to see him splattered with blood on his face and on his black suit. His face was expressionless.

"Good evening, Carol," he greeted her as he joined her towards the fountain. "You're looking for Tyler. I'd like to have a word with him myself."

Hope could also see that her father had a bottle of champagne in his hand. Carol looked at him in terror.

"Klaus, please, don't hurt him. He's my son. He's all I have."

"And you're all he has." retorted Klaus, still looking expressionless. "There's a beautiful symmetry to that, don't you think?"

And to Hope's horror, her dad grabbed Tyler's mother by the back of her neck and pulled her into the water of the fountain. Carol struggled, but Klaus kept drowning her in the fountain. Shortly after, Carol Lockwood died in the fountain.

Not wanting to be seen by her father, Hope cast her invisibility spell.

"Invisique!"

And she disappeared.

Obviously, she knew who her father was. She had understood that he was very different before he was born. In her future, she had read a lot of horrible things about her father. But seeing him kill people in real life was even more shocking. She knew that her father had killed Carol Lockwood in retaliation for Tyler's failed revolution. Although her father wanted revenge on the Hybrid who wanted to destroy him, Hope couldn't help but feel sad for Tyler because now he had no family. Both of his parents had died. Tyler found himself an orphan. A pain that Hope knew perfectly well.

Despite nightfall, Hope ran into the woods, looking for a quiet corner. She spotted a corner illuminated by the moon, completely hidden from view. Sighing, Hope stood in front of a tree, took out her Uncle Kol's crystal and activated it. Soon after, Landon Kirby appeared.

"Hello again," Landon projection, still with a smile on his face.

"Hello Landon," replied Hope happy to see her boyfriend's face again. "I know you're not technically him, but seeing a familiar face really helps me get through what I'm going through right now. And it's only you that I can speak freely without having to hide."

In response, Landon spoke to her with amusement.

"Hi, this is Prism Landon. I am here to listen to you and to keep you company."

Hope chuckled, amused.

"It's not the kind of thing Landon would do, but it was fun."

Then Hope stopped laughing and seemed emotional again.

"Lots of things happened today. I helped my mom send my dad's Hybrids to slaughter. I know it had to be for the sake of the future, but I can't help but feel bad. Usually, I always try to save lives and then I let my father slaughter his own Hybrids. It was hard to see my father like this. I've known so many horrible things about him but seeing him like this is truly shocking."

"Because knowing that someone is bad and seeing it for real are two different things, and you did the right thing," Landon told her sympathetically. "Even though it was horrible, this sacrifice was inevitable, and you know it. And by participating in this, you are doing your father a favor, even if he doesn't know it yet. By put Hybrids down, you contribute to his evolution. He will turn more towards his family when the time comes. When his obsession with his Hybrids ends."

"It will only end when I am born," replied Hope. "I had to say goodbye to my mom. I was tempted to follow her. I wanted to go with her."

"You wanted to spend time with your mom, that's understandable," Landon replied, looking at her. "I know I would have done the same thing if it had been my younger mom or even you. And I certainly wouldn't have had the strength to let her go."

"I still can't leave town," Hope objected. "I've done too much damage to just leave like that. I need to make sure that what I've done doesn't change anything about the Quest for the Cure, which is supposed to unfold the way it's supposed to unfold."

"Hope, the longer you stay in Mystic Falls, the worse the damage will get. Whether it's here or with your mom, it'll be the same. The best thing you can do is continue to find a way to return to the future, while ensuring that there are no disruptions in time that could compromise everything. And what's more, your parents haven't slept together yet. Which is dangerous for you, since you are not yet conceived. At any moment, you risk being gone from time."

"Mom and Dad slept together after the Cure was found," Hope said, leaning on a tree. "Which means that something will happen at the end of the Quest that will cause my parents to meet again to spend time together. But Dad wants to date with Caroline. How can he sleep with my mom if he's got eyes on Lizzie and Josie's mom?"

"Time will take its course, Hope," Landon assured her. "Between your father and your mother, it was just a one-night stand. They will see each other again and make love. You just need to make sure nothing gets in the way of their reunion."

"Easy to say when you don't know all the details," Hope reminded him with a groan. "I'm supposed to be conceived soon. Jeremy's Mark still isn't big enough and he needs to kill vampires to make it complete. I don't see how to move things forward quickly. It's not like vampires show up in Mystic Falls every day. Growing Jeremy's Mark is going to take way too long. Even weeks or several months. Jeremy is still just a beginner. He's not ready to kill so many vampires and I'm supposed to be conceived soon. It would be a miracle if we could get this Mark enlarged to find this damn Cure before my parents sleep together."

"Which means the Salvatores, and their friends did something to expand the Hunter's Mark quickly," Landon pointed out to her. "It's up to you to find out what it is. Be very attentive to future events. And you will find the way."

"For that, I have to let Shane carry out his evil plan," said Hope. "That's two sacrifices where twelve people lost their lives. There are no more doubts. Shane wants to create the Expression triangle. A third sacrifice must occur."

Landon gave her a warning look.

"Since it is necessary, you mustn't intervene to prevent it. Your birth cannot happen if you hinder the events that precede the moment of your conception. Or you'll never exist. You'll disappear from time. And your family will forever be broken."

"When I think that at one time, I blamed myself for having destroyed my family, now, I risk destroying it further."

"All the more reason to be careful in everything you do and even when you communicate with people here. Whether it's with your dad, your mom, Stefan, Elena or Bonnie."

Hope nodded and plopped down next to her tree. She looked at Landon with a beaming smile.

"I miss you, Landon. I miss you all. You. Lizzie. MG. Rafe. Caleb… And even Mr. Saltzman. All of you, guys… I would give anything to be able to get back to you guys."

"We'll see each other again, Hope," Landon assured her. "We always meet again. And you always manage to get through it. You will make it through all of this. You have always been a strong person. You can do it, Hope. You can find a way to return to our time. You always do what's right. And no matter what happens or what you decide to do, at the end of the day, you always do what's right for others. You are a good person, Hope Mikaelson. And you shouldn't doubt it."

"See you soon, Landon," Hope said, lifting the prism and making Landon's image disappear.

She took a moment before taking the path towards Mikaelson Mansion.

Thanks for reading.

In this chapter, Hope was forced to act to protect her future again. She had to help her mother kill the Hybrids, otherwise Klaus does not become the father she knew in the series The Originals.

And for those who criticize Hayley for the Hybrids' death, she was only an instrument for sacrifice. It wouldn't have been her, someone else would have done it and it would have been the same. And more, Stefan, Damon, Caroline etc... committed atrocities during their periods of vampirism. As horrible as the slaughter of the twelve Hybrids.

Even Stefan tells Caroline in this same episode:

Stefan: You know I thought I'd be happier watching Klaus get led away to his slaughter, but for some reason I can't help but feel kind of guilty.

Caroline: Yeah, you and me both. All day I've been trying to remind myself of all the horrible things he's done.

Stefan: See that's the thing, we've all done horrible things. And I'm sitting here, trying to figure out what makes us any better than him. And I think it's just that, we have family we can trust.

So how is what Hayley did worse than the Salvatore atrocities?