Redemption (ON HOLD)

11

She was trying to protect you from Dahlia's curse...

What Curse?

Daliah demanded the firstborn of every generation from every sibling...

Had you and Elijah's children lived, they would have paid the price...

Elijah's daughter got lucky that Delilah couldn't find her locked away in that tomb...

But both of your children had to go...

If anyone had tried to protect them...Dahlia would come and destroy us all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I walked behind Rebekah, my hands anxiously playing with the fabric of my shirt as we entered the seemingly deserted diner to meet with my dad.

The moment we walked in my eyes started to water as I saw my dad in the flesh for the first time in a while. He smiled when he saw the three of us and Rebekah returned the smile as she set Hopes car seat down on the table and gave her brother a hug. I watched as he gave Hope a loving smile before turning attention to me. It wasn't long before he pulled me into a comforting and loving hug. I sighed taking a deep breath as I took it all in. This was real and he wasn't going to disappear when I opened my eyes.

A moment later he let go and gently picked up Hope as he commented on how big she had gotten. I smiled watching him interact with my baby cousin for the first time. I momentarily tuned the conversation in front of me as I glanced at my phone, checking for another text from Jace. My attention was soon pulled away from my phone by a small red stain on my dad's sleeve. Rebekah seemed to notice it as well and dad quickly reassured her that it was nothing to worry about. I had a feeling that neither of us truly believed that. Coming up with an excuse Rebekah said that she needed to change Hopes diaper and dad handed her back to her. I then handed her the diaper bag and she gave me a look before walking to the back. Following her gaze, I noticed a trail of blood on the counter and once she opened the door I heard her gasp in shock. Mumbling a short spell I got a glance at what she had seen and almost gagged. There was a group of bodies in the back of the diner...

Unsure if my dad heard Rebekah's shock I quickly started talking to him to keep his attention. I had no idea what was going on but I knew one thing, something was off about dad.

"You know you're in a lot of trouble when this is all over." Dad told me making me sigh and roll my eyes.

"Come on dad, I just wanted to help." I tried to reason with him but he continued to scold me until Rebekah made her way back. She looked at me then back at the kitchen door as she walked over and I gave her a small nod to show her that I knew what was behind it.

"Well, she is all sorted and ready for an adventure. Aren't you love?" Rebekah said as she set Hope back in her car seat.

"It's difficult to believe we were all this innocent once." Dad commented while looking down at Hope. As he spoke Rebekah looked at me and looked back at her concerned. "We mustn't let the world ever hurt her."

"You're right. We mustn't." Rebekah agreed putting a hang on his shoulder. I then flicked my wrist causing his head to hurt and Rebekah snapped his neck making him fall to the ground. "I'm glad you understood my looks." She told me as she pulled out her phone.

"I'm a teenager not stupid." I mumbled as I looked down at my now unconscious father.

After a quick call to Uncle Klaus Rebekah and I dragged dad to the car and got Hope strapped in before driving to some old family house. Upon our arrival, we cut Hope down for a nap and dragged dad's body into the living room. While we waited for him to wake up Rebekah looked around the house making comments and sharing old memories with me as I texted Jace. He was asking me about my day and I of course lied and told him everything was going great.

"Who is that?" I heard the voice of my dad ask from behind me. Turning around I saw my dad standing behind me while smoothing out his clothes. "Oh, it's an uh...friend." I explained

"And where did you meet this friend?" He asked as he fixed the cuffs of his suit

"In the last town Rebekah and I were in. I went to an arcade and he-"

"He?" Dad cut me off and I looked at him seeing an overprotective look in his eyes and I fought the urge to roll my own.

"Dad are you serious?"

"I'm just inquiring about your new friend" He lied smoothly and I couldn't help but roll my eyes but before I could make a smart comment Rebekah walked in.

"Well isn't this place rather nice?" She said interrupting what was sure to be an unnecessary father-daughter disagreement about boys.

As usual, I tuned out my father and aunt's conversation and only listened in on the parts I deemed important. I learned that dad felt patronized by Rebekah and I's choice to bring him her unconscious. He also assured Rebekah that he just wanted to protect Hope and I, but I could still tell there was something off about him...and I was going to find out what. Soon we went outside and Rebekah began to build a bonfire for some old family tradition. I sat on the porch swing with Hope making funny faces at her until I heard a car pull up. Knowing who it was I stood up and walked down the porch steps as Hayley sprinted out of the car. Carefully, she took Hope from my arms and held her close taking in her daughter's presence. Deciding to let them get reunited in peace I walked back up to the porch. Before I return to my seat on the swing my dad stepped out of the house.

"Jacquline, could I speak with you for a moment?" He asked and I nodded walking with him into the house.

"What did you want to talk about?" I asked lazily slouching on the couch

"You deliberately disobeyed Rebekah and I while you were away. I instructed you not to return to New Orleans by any means and you chose to anyway. Do you realize how dangerous that was?"

"Yes, but-"

"I'm not finished. Not only was the act of you projecting yourself into New Orleans dangerous, but you chose to enter my mind as a means to break Esther's spell. Were you aware that if the monster that I truly am injured you even in my one mind you could have been harmed in reality? Not to mention that there are things in my mind that not even I want to see."

"Well, any consequences would have been worth it to save you. Yes, I disobeyed you and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. I'm not as weak as you make me out to be dad."

"You will do no such thing."

"Why not?"

"Because I said so. End of story."

"But-"

"Enough Jacqueline.Let it go"

"That's not-"

"I said enough!." He snapped raising his voice

Call me sensitive but him snapping at me hurt my feelings. I just wanted to help. I just got my family and I didn't want to lose them. It took me a moment to realize a single tear roll down my cheek which I quickly wiped away as I stood up and made my way out of the house. Did I know where I was going? No, but I kept going anyway.

"Jacqueline where are you going?" I heard Rebekah ask but I ignored her and kept walking.

I then felt someone grab my arm and turned around to see Uncle Klaus.

"Listen little flower, I don't know what my brother has said to make you upset but running off isn't going to make it any better." He tried to reason with me but I still wouldn't listen.

I gave him a glare and flicked my wrist causing him to fly back against a tree before I mumbled a few words creating a barrier behind me. It wouldn't last for long but at least it would give me time to breathe...

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Theories? Suggestions? ~KK