𝟙.𝟙𝟘: 𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖'𝕤 𝔸 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕝𝕕 𝕎𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕐𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝔻𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞𝕤 ℂ𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕋𝕣𝕦𝕖

—Narrator's perspective—

Arabella clicked on the small remote, the garage doors opening up automatically. It's been years since she's been here and those years consisted of her and Stefan fixing cars when they had nothing better to do. She opened the lights, two cars sitting inside.

"So let me get this straight, you have a car and yet, you still haven't taken me out for a drive." Hope asked, looking around the dusty garage, never actually been this part of the school.

"I tried to avoid it." The girl responded, pulling the covers of her car that resembled Damon's. "Too many bad memories" She whispered and eyed her car, it's been too long

The main reason she even left the vintage and classic car was because the last time she drove it, her companion was Stefan and they drove out of town with a large smile on their faces. They were living in the moment on speeding on highways, acting like brother and sisters.

"Shall we go? I can already feel Dr. Saltzman's presence coming our way." Hope joked and went inside the passenger seat, looking around.

Arabella chuckled and took the keys from a nearby counter, getting inside. She turned the ignition and left the garage, not even caring on what Alaric will tell them once he finds out they left school grounds.

"You look happy on this one." Hope said and showed her a photograph she found stuck on the rear view mirror. It brought a smile on her lips.

The picture contained her, Damon and Stefan in the old Salvatore house, its interior anyways. It was the day of her birthday and Damon had all this crazy idea of surprising her with a party. All good times.

"That was my birthday. Damon went all out and didn't hold back from it either." She explained with a light smile on her face, her elbow propped on the middle of the both of them.

"I just realised that I didn't even know when your birthday is. God, I suck at this girlfriend thing, Don't I?" Hope whined, a pout on her face when she heard Bella chuckle at her words.

"Trust me, all you've done is nothing and yet you are perfect from where you are." The Blonde smoothly said and it earned a slap on her arm for being like that. "I complimented you and that's what I got?"

Hope rolled her eyes in a smile. "January 4th, 2012. I'm 17 years old, born in New Orleans. My parents were Klaus Mikaelson and Hayley Marshall. I come from a long line of evil. I hate the color pink, definitely love color black. And the girl I like is Arabella Luna Salvatore." She said cheekily. All that said made Arabella wanting to kiss her but she can't, not without crashing the car to a wall.

"Well it's lovely on officially getting to know you, Ms. Mikaelson." Arabella joked and the two shared a small laugh. "26th of October, 1830. I was turned in 1847 by Klaus' sireline. Parents are very much dead and one of them I actually like, Aurora Black. I met Stefan first with Lexi's connection to him so we three were all buddies. I met Damon a few decades later when we were all in Mystic Falls together. I am part original, I guess. Favourite color... hm, definitely white and I loathe color green. And the girl I am simply falling head over heels with is right besides me and her name is Hope Andrea Mikaelson."

The two chuckled, mostly Hope who was blushing madly. The sun was still up so there are plenty of time for them to eat and bond so Arabella would make the most of their time. When they pulled over at the side, they went inside and there were only a few people dining.

"Thank you." Hope said to the waitress who gave them the menus, leaving them for a minute to think about what they were going to order. But not before she ordered her usual milkshake already.

"You know, I planned to take you somewhere better than here but there are literal monsters that are waiting to pounce on the school. So don't hold it against me, please?" She gave a glance to Hope who hid her smile behind the menu. "But I am in no mood to eat so you can order whatever you want."

Hope nodded, feeling the same way. "I guess this day will consists of us drinking and talking?"

"You made it sound like you're gonna be drinking something other than milkshakes." Arabella squinted her eyes at her, putting the list of food on the table. "Oh, I am not letting you get a sip of alcohol."

"Bella." Hope said in a chuckle.

"Hey, you're the hero between us. And besides , I would never hear the end of it from Ric if I bring you back to school drunk." She explained and it only made the tribrid roll her eyes with a smile. "Also, I don't think I would make a very good impression to Hayley if I serve her daughter scotch."

Hope laughed, shaking her head and stopped as soon as the waitress came back with the milkshake. Arabella had to compel her to bring them a glass of bourbon, seeing as they look like teenagers. When she left again, Hope asked a question.

"Can you, tell me about how my mom wanted to kill you when you met?" She asked, leaning on the booth sofa while sipping on her peanut butter blast.

"That was actually my fault." Arabella confessed and sucked a tight air. "Hayley just arrived in town and I almost killed Tyler Lockwood, the first Hybrid your dad turned. It was Tyler's fault honestly, being annoying." She said making Hope chuckled. "When I had my hand inside his chest, ready to take his heart out, Your mother came to save his day and stabbed me with a stake behind my back."

Hope widen her eyes and almost spat the milkshake. "What?" She laughed and looked at the blonde in disbelief. "Mom stabbed you in the back?"

"Good thing I didn't kill her back then or else you won't be here right now." She jokingly said and took a sip of her alcohol, enjoying the day. "After I heard that she lost her baby, or atleast I thought, I paid Niklaus a visit. Surprise surpise, You were still alive but on the other side of the world with Rebekah."

"You saw me as a baby? That sounded weird just now." Hope said and both of them chuckled, Bella shaking her head.

"No, I never did. Too busy with Stefan and Damon rushing to the fits of danger all the time." She countered, slipping down her seat with glass in hand. "And you? Any stories that I haven't heard before?"

Hope hummed, thinking of one. "I sold my blood to a werewolf?" She questioned to make sure Arabella hasn't heard of it before. She gestured Hope to go on which she did. "I wanted to see my dad and needed the money. Henry, the boy I sold it to, made a dive on the memorial library and Dr. Saltzman found out. Mom was furiously mad ofcourse and gave me the silent treatment the whole ride back to New Orleans." Arabella smiled, looking down for a split second when she saw how happy Hope looked on talking about her mother.

"I heard that from Keelin. Sounds like from her, Hayley was pissed." Arabella chuckled, remembering their conversation very clearly.

"You knew Aunt Keelin too? How?" The Mikaelson seemed surprised. How could she not? Arabella practically knows every single one of her family.

"Who do you think helped Hayley on the search for the last bloodline of the Malraux werewolf pack?" She winked, setting aside the glass of alcohol.

Hope smiled, shaking her head in happiness. She took a deep breath before continuing to talk to Arabella, both seemed to enjoy a pretty good day. So much so that the sky began to shift to orange and moon was about to rise.

It got soon ruined when Arabella's phone rang in her pocket making her groan. "Hello, Alaric." She greeted while giving Hope a look of concern.

"Why did I find your car missing? Along with you and coincidentally, Hope." He asked in a demanding tone.

"Would you believe me if I said I am visiting an old friend of mine?" She hoped and held a tight smile, waiting for a response.

"Okay. Let's say I do. Then what about Hope? I searched every inch of this school." Ric asked skeptic of her situation.

"I uh— I have no idea where she is. It's not my job to know where Hope is." She said, smiling at Hope who laughed loudly. Arabella chuckled as well, a little tipsy from the bourbon.

Alaric sighed. "I heard her laugh, Ara— I heard her freaking laughing!"

"Look, The monster still hasn't appeared and I wanted to spend time with my lovely girlfriend." Arabella boasted, a tint of blush appeared to Hope's cheek. "Also adorable one on that." She added quickly when she saw Hope blushing.

"Okay I do not need to know of your behaviours. What if it attacks you two?" He asked, clearly concerned.

"In the middle of town? Relax, Ric. Just, handle things from there and when a monster does come and attack us here, I'll protect Hope." She said determined.

"I know that. But you two need to go back since we are in the middle of a semester!" He shouted and even Hope could hear it making her take a sip of the milkshake and look around the grill.

Arabella chuckled. "We'll be right there... In an hour. Nice talking, Text me when the monster arrives beforehand." She quickly hung up and closed her eyes sighing. "I just had one of my oldest friends ruin my day."

Hope sighed too, knowing that they should leave. They called in for the check which Arabella paid for, ofcourse. When they were walking back to the car, an idea of the perfect time she's been looking for crossed her head.

"Before our night ends, can we take a walk around the town for a minute? I honestly don't want this moment to end any time soon." She suggested which Hope didn't hesitate to agree and break the rules with Arabella.

The pair walked slowly on the trail, Hope's hand was interlocked with the Blonde's who was contemplating what to say.

"Do you know who Cami O'connell is?" She asked to Hope, sparing her a look when she nodded.

"Dad was in love with her. That's what I heard." She said in a simple tone, slightly confused why she was bringing it up all of a sudden.

Arabella nodded to confirm it. "When I met her she was resilient and kind. Had a thing for Nik ever since they met. Cami hid it from him ofcourse but... when she finally told him that she loves him, She was dying." She finished and looked over Hope. "Your father didn't hesitate to tell her the same thing. Awful timing, but they did love each other."

"Why are you telling me this?" Hope asked, stopping in her tracks by the sudden depressing tension they were in.

"Because I suck at these things, apparently." Arabella chuckled jokingly, looking at her with a sigh and dropped her smile. "When the night hag got in my head, I vividly remembered you lying on the floor with your own pool of blood. The nightmare showed me that I killed you." She informed and Hope sighed, closing her eyes.

"Bella..." Hope started and cupped her cheek with one hand. "You would never hurt me. You and I both know that so don't worry about you hurting me any time soon." She smiled warmly, soothing the girl who nodded.

Arabella sighed. "I realised something, hell, the nightmare even showed me something." She confessed, Hope's eyes searching for an answer and gestured her to go on, still having her hand on her cheek. "I never want to see you harmed, Hope. I feel like something inside me would die if that happens. I'll never forgive myself. There is something— multiple things I still need to do before that happens and what I'm trying to say is—"

"—I love you." Hope cutted her off, opening her mouth slightly in fear. "I love you, Bella." She whispered in a tight smile, rubbing her cheek softly.

Arabella's breath hitched, looking at her in disbelief. "Damn it..." She whispered and closed her eyes.

"Why— Why? Did I ruin everything? I shouldn't have said that—" Before Hope could even rant and regret everything she said, Arabella leaned to kiss her softly and lovingly.

Hope internally sighed relief and felt something inside her complete. She cupped both sides of Arabella's cheek, not wanting for this moment to stop any time soon.

The Blonde didn't realise herself pulling away to say something because she might have screwed things up.

"Okay... pause. Why did you say 'Damn it'?" Hope asked panting and looked at her seriously. She thought that Arabella kissed her because she felt bad.

"Because you ruined my awful-not-awful speech and said I love you first." She said and smiled widely. "I love you, Hope."

Hope chuckled and hugged Arabella tightly as she could, laughed when the Vampire picked her up in the air and spun them around. People might say they were crazy for spinning in circles but at this point, neither did seem to care. They loved each other, that was all that matters.

"She seems happy..." Hayley said with a wide smile, crossing her arms and watched the two girl laugh and smile at each other in the middle of the town.

"Yes she does." Klaus grinned, hands behind his back and stood besides Hayley. "Arabella will treat our daughter right. I know it, you know it." He boasted in a proud smile.

"She definitely will." Hayley said, not missing the chance on watching her friend and daughter fall much more in love with each other. "Who would have guessed that Hope's epic love will be Ara, huh?" She punched Klaus' shoulder in a playful manner.

Klaus laughed and clenched his teeth. "We have watched Hope throughout her life. What she and Arabella has is special. I'm positive that she will not harm Hope."

"Ofcourse she wouldn't. It's Bella-Luna we're talking about, Klaus. I wouldn't have any other person on trusting to take care of Hope." She pointed at the blonde girl, smiling from ear to ear while she talks to Hope.

"They will thrive." He boasted excitedly, the two side by side when they watched the girls hop inside the car laughing. "There is no other person, is there?" Klaus asked, gesturing about another person that will take care of Hope better than Arabella.

"No there is not."

☘︎︎