𝟚.𝟙𝟞: 𝔽𝕒𝕔𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕤𝕤 𝕀𝕤 𝕂𝕚𝕟𝕕𝕒 𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘

-Narrator's perspective-

With much and much more persuation to herself, Arabella still couldn't find the strength to move on her place. She was just simply staring on the painting which was besides the window, missing a particular girl's presence on her midst. Even though that she knew that Hope can handle herself, it still didn't make her feel more calmer.

For the first, her chest didn't occur to an immense pain. She didn't have any breakdowns which she was thankful for because Arabella didn't know what she'll do if she just sat in her room, on the edge of her breaking point.

All night has she been sitting down on the floor, either hugging her knees or drinking her thoughts away with a few bottles of bourbon besides her.

She even heard some people outside her doors, talking to one another if they should come in and talk to her. They decided not to since she is still sorting her problems out and it's the middle of the night when they did visit her door.

Arabella even heard ruckus just beneath her floor which didn't even faze her. She heard the words 'funeral' and 'disguised as Hope' which lead her mind to believe that Lizzie disguised herself as Hope. As much as she wanted to see that hilarious event occur, she handled on sitting on the floorboards, drinking the alcohol continously.

With her very own undead perks, she's not tired and only craved for something other than blood which was her guilty pleasure on sweet sweet alcohol. Unlike Damon, she wasn't a drinker but when something happens, she does drink.

Someone knocked on the door, making Arabella look over to see who it was when it opened. She still had the neck of the bottle on her hand, wrist resting on her knee that was close to her. "Hey, Ara. How you feeling?" Kaleb asked, walking inside and didn't mind the bottles surrounding her.

"Still very sober to have this conversation." She answered nonchalantly, tried to take a sip of the Bourbon again but Kaleb pulled it off her making her groan. "I took 10 bottles and only finished 6 of them, don't waste a perfectly good batch." She retorted, cupping her face when Kaleb pushed open the curtains.

"You need to get yourself together." He said, looking at the blonde who just took in on how bright the room is now.

"Don't you have a video to shoot for a funeral? Please go and leave me to sorrow." Arabella said, finally blinking her eyes and looked up to the male Vampire.

"In fact, I do have a video to take- but at the very least, can you get your ass up and walk around? It will convince our spy and bring you back." He countered, waiting for a response and only got a thumbs up. "Look, Hope is badass and always comes back. She will." Kaleb assured before turning to leave the room, completely satisfied of how much Arabella thought about what he said.

Arabella hummed, squinting her eyes as she felt drunk but convinced herself she wasn't. Well, she's tipsy. "Great." She whispered, standing up with a deep exhale.

☘︎︎

After showering, she fixed her whole black outfit for the memorial and was sitting behind the piano. Had to watch the video they made which ended in disaster, Jed and Kaleb fighting over who gets the spotlight. It honestly angered her but she couldn't just start a fight in the middle of the memorial.

So when the laughter commenced, she held the urge to snap all their necks. Who laughs at a memorial over someone anyways? Arabella was close to standing up and leave but Mg stood up, walking to the front on the mic after Lizzie, who was in Hope's figure, stormed away.

"I have something to say. My first day here, Lizzie was my tour guide." As he started, everyone started to sit down and quiet down. "Just like she was for most of you. I was so scared. And she knew it, too. At the end of my tour, I mentioned... hating my name, Milton. And she said, 'so go change it'." As he said that, he lets out a small chuckle bringing a small one to Arabella as well who was sitting behind the piano.

"'No one here knows. How 'bout Mg?'" He said again, Arabella urged Kaleb who was besides her to play the instrument which he did. "Remember that shock bracelet Lizzie had? Or when she was suddenly into talent shows and Miss Mystic Falls, and football? She was always trying to start over."

Nobody noticed but Alaric came inside from the back, not interrupting Mg. "And, yeah, she could be extra, but she knew it. And she never stopped trying to change. But did you all let her? Or did you hold onto one image of her at her worst? She was an easy target who couldn't control her brain chemistry. So it was easier to think that she was broken than to root for her and accept that she was changing. If you really stop and think, I'm sure you have a good Lizzie story too. Here's your chance. Start over." He walked off the stage.

People murmured and someone stepped up, walking up to the mic. "I like to sew a lot. But there was no one else to do it with. When Lizzie found out, she started the sewing club..." She kept going with the story, people smiling at it, even.

Moreover Arabella who met the gaze of Lizzie who was upstairs. The vampire gave her a simple nod and smile before continuing to play around with the keys of the instrument.

☘︎︎

"Jo..." Arabella whispered, relieved that Josie was back- her real self was back. It took every ounce of herself to not run and crush the girl's bones and simply walked towards her and hugged the girl warmly. Josie chuckled, returning the embrace as well. "You got me worried, Jo." She mumbled before pulling away.

"I'm back." She smiled widely, happy to see the blonde looked so relieved. "Thank you for not giving up on me."

"Ofcourse." Arabella said, holding both of her shoulders in comfort and longing for her bestfriend. "Are you okay now? No more dark, psychotic, new version of you lurking around?" As it was early to joke, the two shared a laugh anyways.

"Nope. You get me in return." The Brunette joked and for the first, Arabella forgot all about her problems and only for a second.

That second consisted of her feeling warmth and joy. It only lasted in that moment until a knock on the door occured, making the two girls look back to see Alaric standing there.

"Ara, I- We need you. Now." He said in a serious tone, completely nervous of what he found out and what he will say in explanation to his friend.

Arabella frowned, looking back to Josie as a way to ask if it was all right which the siphoner nodded, telling her to go. The vampire followed Ric, completely confused of his behaviour as they made their way to his office.

"What's going on? Did something happen?" She asked, trying to match how fast Ric was going.

"Earlier, Raf got possessed with The Necromancer. He killed him." He informed, still fighting inside on how to tell her the other bad news. "He didn't had control but... he stabbed Landon with the golden arrow."

"What?!" She asked in a sharp whisper, fear of the phoenix might be dead. "He's all right, right? He's immortal and a prophecy is sometimes wrong. Landon will come back." The more she tried to repeat those words in her head, the more she realised it wasn't working.

"I don't know." He confessed, opening the shelf that inside was Hope who's still asleep. When Ric watch how Arabella walk over to her body, still out of the loop on what's going on, he sighed.

"W-What's going on? I thought this was about Landon, not Hope." She asked, can't help but stutter as she sat besides the still sleeping girl. But when Ric looked defeated, she realised something. "Wait, why isn't she awake? Josie's here, why isn't she?" Arabella asked, looking over to the Tribrid in worry.

Arabella diverted her gaze to Ric, more and more nervous as he didn't say anything. "Ric. Why isn't she awake?" She asked, swallowing a lump in her throat. "Alaric don't scare me." Her voice broke, looking back to Hope in a desperate manner.

"Well that's... that's the thing. I don't know what happened to her too." He said, sighing when he saw how Arabella reacted. "Hope is suppose to be awake when Josie came back

but-"

"-No, she'll wake up. She has to." Arabella interrupted, holding onto Hope's hand firmly in a shaking manner. "After everything she did to save everyone- she does not get to stay like this." She whispered, not acknowledging how Alaric gave her a pity look.

"Ara-"

"-Just please... leave. I'm sorry, Ric but, I-I need to think." She said, almost begging for him to go.

Alaric did what she wished and stepped back, closing the passage door again to give her privacy. He exhaled, looking back to the door where Raf stood. Alaric shook his head, indicating that this is a bad situation.

"You'll- You'll wake up. Ofcourse you will..." Arabella whispered, had the urge to cry which she didn't stop it from falling. "God, Hope, don't scare me like this." She whispered, slightly shaking in fear over thinking about Hope not waking up, ever.

Again, she felt the large amount of pain in her chest which she did everything she could to ignore it. Worked in the most part. "This is worse than that stunt you pulled in Kansas. I actually have to remember you." She inhaled, cleared her throat. "I will be so mad once you- once you wake up." Arabella breathed heavily, having to bite the bottom of her lip to stop herself.

"After all my efforts on wanting to protect you, it all goes to shi-" She stopped herself, looking away on not to curse. Arabella shuddered a breath inhaling and exhaling from time to time. "Just please- please, wake up." Arabella sobbed, clasping her face with her hands as she continued to sob.

With deep guilt and conscious, she couldn't stop crying. All she wanted was Hope to wake up and tell her everything was all right but this wasn't the case. For most part, a part of her believed that she will wake up. That one day, Hope will come running to her to hug her tightly as she could. But there was also one more thing that questioned everything that wanted to believe in Hope, it was uncertainty and it was giving her hell.

"No..." Arabella whispered, standing up and pacing left and right in frustration. She instinctively punched the wall near her, creating a hole on the wood. "Damn it!" She yelled, pulling back her hand and didn't mind of her knuckles bleeding from the wood.

The doors opened again, Alaric came rushing in the small spaced room in concern. "Ara- Hey, calm down." He soothed but didn't work since the girl was hyperventilating.

"I-I can't- I can't..." She sobbed, falling on the floor, holding her head as she couldn't maintain her breakdown. "I need her- I

n-need her to wake up, Ric." Arabella begged, tears blurring her vision very badly.

"I know but... I need you to calm down." He said, kneeling in front of the girl who shook her head continously.

Arabella slammed her palm on the floor beneath her in anger. "Damn it!" She yelled, anger filtering her breakdown as she knew she couldn't do anything.

☘︎︎