Third Person POV~
Rebekah stopped in the woods closer to the school, holding her niece by her arms as the tribrid looks around, her thoughts going a million miles a second.
"She's alive. She's alive, and she won't even be in the same room as me. I don't-" Hope begins on a small hysterical rant, her breathing uneven as tears threaten to fall from her eyes.
"Hope. Darling, look at me." Rebekah says softly as she places a hand on Hope's cheek, looking her in eyes.
"That young girl, just had the rest of her mortal life stolen from her. And now, she has to make a choice that our family didn't get to make. I'm sure she probably just needs time to adjust." Rebekah can see her words helped calm Hope down, but she could still see the worry in her eyes.
The Original was proven right when Hope spoke, "I should be there to help her. She would be there for me."
"Hope, right now, she needs the one person that hasn't been here..." Rebekah pauses for a moment to think of the right words. Not wanting to upset her niece even more by making Hope think of Hayley not being here.
"...Caroline is going to make sure Lily is okay. Despite our disagreements, that woman is an amazing vampire and a good mother. Trust her."
"How has she been a good mother lately? She wasn't even here when-"
Before Hope went on another mindless rant, Rebekah spoke again "It can be hard sometimes, when a parent, or a family member even is gone. Even when some have the best intentions with their absence. Caroline was trying to help too. You'd be surprised how difficult finding the answer to a magical question is, believe me I know."
Seeing that this calmed her niece down, Rebekah led her back to the school at a human pace with an arm around her shoulders. "You need rest sweetheart. You've been out here a while."
This made Hope slow their pace, Rebekah looking at her in concern when they stopped walking.
"I was actually um... Thinking of going for a run? If that's okay?" Hope asks lightly, hoping her Aunt will let her.
Rebekah stared at her niece for a moment before glancing at the school not far in the distance, apparently having walked more than they thought before Rebekah spoke, and sighed in defeat.
"I suppose that's better than shaking the lights. Don't go near humans, and stay within the property woods." Rebekah answers with a hug before she slowly pulls away and walks to the school at the same pace as before.
"Thanks Aunt Bex, love you." Hope calls at a normal volume, knowing Rebekah could hear just fine. She was proven right when the original said I love you back without turning around.
-------
When Hope was walking back to her room, she saw a head of blonde hair down a familiar hallway, making her take a second glance and see Lizzie.
Walking closer, she noticed Josie was there too, the twins both sitting next to their sister's bedroom door. Josie having silent tears go down her face as she lays her head against Lizzie's shoulder.
Hope looked at the door then to the Saltzman's, "Is she?-" she asks as she points to the door, getting her answer when the sisters' get frowns on their faces and nod slowly with worried and guilty eyes.
Hope doesn't say anything, instead choosing to move towards the door.
"Hope." Lizzie speaks up as Hope's hand is just millimeters from the doorknob.
The tribrid pauses and looks at her friend with questioning eyes.
Lizzie looks at her lap as a tear finally leaves her eyes. "She said she doesn't want to see us," she says as she looks back up at Hope. "Any of us." Lizzie continued when she saw Hope's unmoving hand.
"What?" Hope asks in disbelief.
"Your Aunt put a boundary spell on the door so we all need to be invited in. It's too much magic for me to siphon alone, and I'm not making Josie do that if she's not ready." Lizzie explains and the corner of Josie's mouth goes up at a little in thanks.
Hope slowly retracts her hand and nods a little to show she understood Lizzie.
"I'll- uh. I'll see you guys in the morning." the tribrid says quickly before walking to her bedroom. Once she turned the corner, tears left her ice-blue eyes.
-------
Unbeknownst to each other, an hour before the sun rose, both tribrids were still tossing and turning in bed.
After hours of having a silent debate in her head, Hope finally threw the blanket off her body and got out of bed.
Fifteen minutes later, Lily -who was lying in bed looking at the ceiling- had finally had enough of the repetitive sound of someone pacing up to her door and then pacing away; repeating this countless times in an endless cycle, and sped to the door and opening it quickly.
Hope, who had her hand raised to the door, jumped a little at the speed the door was opened.
At first, neither girl said anything, just staring at one another before Hope went to speak.
"How-"
"Your pacing sounded like war drums being beaten right next to my ears. Kind of hard to ignore." Lily replies curtly as she crosses her arms and leans on her doorway.
Slowly, Hope took a step forward and noticed the Salvatore stand up straight. When Hope took a second step, she watched with saddened eyes as Lily took a step back. But she still stayed in the doorway.
"I don't want to hurt you, Hope." Lily told her before she could take another step.
"Then it's a good thing I heal quickly." Hope commented taking the last few steps and pulling the blonde into her arms, hugging her tightly.
Out of habit, Lily returned the hug right away, it felt euphoric to be in the arms of Hope Mikaelson. Something she longed for constantly. But after a few moments, she took a breath in.
That was a mistake.
The veins under the blonde eyes became dark and fangs came out.
As Lily released a breath, her lips lightly grazed Hope's neck. She smells so sweet. Lily thought as she unknowingly opens her mouth a little.
She only realized what she was doing when she grazed her fangs lightly against the skin on the tribrid's neck, making Hope gasp a little in surprise.
Before anything more could be said or done, Lily was gone. Nowhere to be seen or heard. Leaving a very concerned Mikaelson.
-------
A groan left the vampire's mouth as her door was knocked on repeatedly.
"Hang on." she mumbles as she gets out of bed and answers the door.
"Lily? Oh my god, you're ok." Jade states as she pulls her friend into a hug.
When they pull away Lily fumbles with her hands.
"Um, c-can I sleep here tonight?" Lily asks and after a moment, continues, "I almost hurt her tonight, Jade. I can't go back, she might still be there."
With that, Jade opened the door and dragged her friend in, pulling her into another well-needed hug as the Salvatore shed a few tears.
"Hey." Jade started as they pulled away. "I know it doesn't seem like it now, but it does get easier. Just give it a little time." all the blonde did was nod a little in return.
------
The night was restless. A million emotions were running through her veins every second, and time felt prolonged.
Jade had eventually grown tired of hearing the tossing and turning.
"Ok. Get up and get comfortable on the floor. I'm gonna teach you some breathing exercises. It'll help regulate everything else you feel." the vampire said as she threw her blanket off her and stood to turn on the small lamp she had on her desk.
Lily complied, and the two sat across from one another. Eventually Lily said what she had been thinking this whole time, "This is stupid."
Jade rolled her eyes. "Okay. I'm going to try a different method." Huffing, she stood and went to the fireplace that was across from her bed.
In the moment when the vampire was lighting the fire, Lily sighed quietly, she was thankful for Jade trying to help.
The sound of the match scraping against the box caught the newly turned tribrid's attention. The spark of the small flame was bright like a small glowing star you could hold.
Though Jade was a few feet away, Lily's arms grew goosebumps from the sudden feeling of warmth the match gave off.
"Just focus on the fire." Jade said gently as she placed the match into the logs.
The burst of fire from the litten logs felt like a wave of peaceful warmth that hugged you gently.
Lily stared as the flames danced and changed sizes. A small twitch of her finger and the flame has multiple colors.
"That's a neat party trick, Wendy teach it to you?" Jade jokes with a small smirk. "Maybe" Lily smirks back before focusing on the flames once more.
As the fire danced and the logs sizzled and cracked, Lily felt calm.
When Jade sat down next to her and handed a cup hot chocolate, Lily noticed time had passed.
Lily smiled in thanks as she grabbed the mug, taking a sip she hummed. The after taste made her eyebrows shoot up, looking over Jade was hiding her laughter behind a smile. "I put a little bit if bourbon in there. It helps."
"A little?" Lily commented as she took another sip. The vampire laughed, "ok maybe a lot." this cause Lily to laugh, a smile grew on her face and the two sat and watched the flames dance.
"It helps to just try and focus on something simple sounding. Helps block out all the noise from other rooms and things." Jade tells her friend before they went silent, simply focusing on the fire.
----
Lily huffed as she tripped on a tree root and stumbled.
"Do you want to tell me why we ran all the way here? We couldn't have used a car? And why did we have to leave in the dark, the sun doesn't rise for another five minutes." she complained, that was tenth tree she tripped on because it's root was hidden under leaves.
"You needed to stretch your legs, use your abilities a little. Besides, we're here." Caroline tells her daughter with a smile as she pulls some of the tree branches from view to show the clearing up ahead with a cabin.
A smile begot the tribrids face as she saw it.
"You remember?" Caroline asks with a smile as they began walking to the cabin at a human pace.
"We used to come here every Christmas before you started traveling," Lily said as she looked back at her mom.
The young vampire let out a small giggle as she looked across the field. "I remember walking out that way every year to go pick out a tree and cut it down for inside."
That made Caroline laugh as she hugged her daughter. "I remember taking the tree back out every year and you, me, and Josie would go back to where we cut it from and put it back on its trunk."
Lily smiled.
"You guys didn't like that we hurt nature just for our enjoyment, that an old tree should die just because we wanted it. I remember the first time, I just did it to make you guys happy, I didn't think the healing spell you guys made would work, you were so little.
You were both so happy when I worked. You both ran around the tree and gave it a big hug before we went back to the cabin. Covered in fit bristles might I add. It took me days to get them all out your hair."
Lily giggled at the memory before her smile faltered. "I guess a lot has changed since then," she commented as she moved inside.
---
"So. How did you convince the super squad to sit this one out?" Lily asks as she walks around the living room, placing the needlepoint on the record player, a song began to sound.
"Slay bells ring, are you listening, in the rain, snow is glistening, a beautiful night, we're happy tonight. Walking in a winter wonderland... In the meadow, we can build a snowman-"
"They're a bit occupied with your friend Rafael. He's dying, and they're trying to save him. You can go help if you want-"
This made Lily laugh genuinely. "And why would I do that? I never liked Rafael. I'd probably laugh at his funeral. I guess he bit the wrong person this time."
When her laughter subsided, she turned to her mom. "So... What now?" the blonde smirked at this. "Vampire training. Let's go." Caroline stood and walked outside.
---
"No!"
Caroline sighed. "Lily-"
"I just watched my sister die in front of me! And then the other one killed me. I can't be at the school because I could hurt somebody and the first thing you want me to do for vampire training is to eat a cute defenseless bunny!" Lily ranted as she placed the cottontail down from where she was holding it. It hopped away from the two preditors quickly.
Caroline couldn't stop herself from laughing hysterically.
Lily furrowed her eyebrows agitatedly, dropping her hands from their crossed position, they made a loud slap as they hit her sides. Standing straight, her shoulders squared as she huffed.
"And now you're laughing at me." she said with agricated tone and facial expression. Turning to walk away, Lily went to move back to the cabin but Caroline stopped laughing momentarily.
"Wait, I'm sorry. It just- just-" Caroline couldn't finish her sentence without another giggle.
Lily narrowed her eyes and started walking away again.
Walking away didn't help, Lily could tell her mother was following her trying to make her giggles die down.
"I'm sorry." Caroline breathed out. "I just think it's funny-"
Scoffing, "clearly." Lily retorted angrily.
"It's funny because I remember when I first turned, and your dad was trying to teach me control." This causes Lily to look over at her mother by her side curiously.
"There was a party going on at the falls on the Lockwood property and everybody was going to be there. I remember all I could think was that I wanted to see Matt, my boyfriend at the time."
"Why didn't you?" Lily asks.
Caroline smiles lightly at her daughter, "I did eventually. That night when I went to Matt, I bit him. I almost killed him. That's how I learned it's better to get control for a few days before going near the ones we love. And I'm proud of you."
This made Lily pause. "Why?"
"Because even though I don't completely agree with you shutting your friends out, I think it was wise of you to separate yourself from them. At least until you have more control over your blood lust."
-----
Lily was curled up on the couch with a book in her lap. Caroline was in the kitchen preparing tea and other things.
"I have to get something from my bag, I'll be right back," Caroline tells her daughter with a smile as she goes upstairs. Lily smiles at her in response before going back to her book.
It was quiet, and yet it wasn't.
She could hear everything. Her mother moving and breathing upstairs, the birds singing outside were like a symphony, even the bubbling water in the tea kettle. Lily could even hear the small squeak of a field mouse no doubt going back to his home.
The peace was obliterated by the wailing of the tea kettle. The instant the high-pitched screeching chimed through the air Lily couldn't function. It was so loud it blurred her vision. It feels like a bomb went off next to her and this is the sound of the aftermath.
Grabbing her ears, Lily shook her head. She could vaguely make out the sound of someone walking down the stairs.
As the screeching of the teapot got louder, Lily shut her eyes and shook her head, trying to get the noise out.
She could hear the muffled voice of her mother, but not what she was saying as she kneeled in front of her.
Her blurred vision watched as Caroline stood and sat next to her. Bringing her daughter head to her chest, the vampire began to hum a song slowly.
Gently running her hands through her daughter long blonde locks, Caroline rocked them back and forth as she hummed.
Slowly, Lily calmed down. The overwhelming noises dulled, and all that could be heard was her mother. The beating of heart, and calm breathing as the humming turned into a soft lullaby,
"Deep in the Meadow
Under the willow
A bed of grass
A soft green pillow
Lay down your head; and close your eyes...
And when they open; the su-un will rise.
Here it's safe; here it's warm
Here the Daisy's guide;
You from every harm...
Here you dreams are sweet
And tomorrow brings them true
Here's the place; where I love you"
When Caroline started humming again, it's as if all the sounds went back to normal.
Lily just closed her eyes and breathed. "How did you do that?" she asked quietly.
"It used to happen a lot when you were little. When you were a baby, you were so young, you didn't have control over the vampire abilities you got. You used to cry nonstop, wouldn't sit still. Web we figured out you could like we could-"
Caroline paused as she sighed sadly at the memory. Her heart ached as she thought of it.
"I just felt so helpless. I couldn't imagine everyday not being able to control how much I heard. I could tell how overwhelmed you got and we couldn't do anything."
"One day when you were a few months old, the neighbors next to the house Alaric and I were renting was doing construction on their pool outside. No matter what room I took you into you could hear the machines outside, so I placed you on my chest, put a blanket over you head and started singing that song."
Caroline smile happily as she recalled the memory.
"The darkness from the blanket and the sound and vibration of my voice calmed you down almost instantly."
The blonde vampire smiled, she remember how she smiled so brightly that day. Caroline wanted to jump and giggle in happiness but she kept singing softly. It was the moment she truly felt like a mother. How she herself is what could calm the little bundle in her arms. How the small infant trusted and loved her enough that she fell asleep resting on her mothers chest.
Lily smiled lightly as her mother moved to the kitchen.
Unedited
How was it?
What did you like?
What did you hate?
What do you want to see?
Take care and see you next time -ð