Damage Control

Chapter Fifteen

Hope was out of breath. She thought she could handle anything Caroline threw at her, but free climbing a cliff was a little beyond her experience. Caroline didn't start her off easy, there was no running in the woods, no combat training like Dr. Saltzman gave her. Caroline walked her that first day, deep into the forest until they reached the base of a cliff and told her to climb.

She was currently half way up the wall, pads of her fingers raw and her legs were shaking as she tried to catch her breath. It was more than just exercise, it was mentally taxing as well as she desperately tried to find holds to grab onto next. All while Caroline was standing beneath her, telling her to keep going as if she wasn't trying hard enough.

Hope's leg gave out and she slipped from the cliff, fingers ripping apart as she clawed the stone. She landed by Caroline's feet, wind taken from her. "That could have gone better." She said.

Hope forced herself to her feet, bloodied fingers starting to stitch themselves back together. "Yeah, that definitely could have gone better." She coughed. "Give me a minute and I can go again." She was trying to be optimistic.

Caroline handed her a bottle of water. "Don't worry about it."

Hope swished the water in her mouth before swallowing it. "No way I almost got there." It was a lie, she got about halfway up.

Caroline rolled her eyes. "You are as stubborn as..." She stopped herself, sucking in her lips, she had done that often.

"My father." Hope finished. "I also like to think I am determined like my mother." She tried for a laugh but it didn't come. "I don't mind if you mention him." Her heart hurt a bit. "It is nice to be near someone who knew the side I did." She chugged some more water. "I can go again." She clapped her sore hands together.

Caroline put an arm out. "That isn't the reason I said that." Hope tilted her head. "Alaric and I have something planned for the upper class today, you are going to need your energy."

"That is cryptic." Hope squinted against the morning sun at her.

Caroline shrugged. "Got to keep some things a secret from you nosy kids." She turned back towards the school. "Go get washed up and I'll see you at breakfast."

Hope watched Caroline walk away. She wondered if there was something behind her kindness. She had been getting up early with Hope over this last week to help her, every day she passed out from being so exhausted, she didn't feel that overrun of emotions anymore, for the most part. There was that one nightmare she had, one that had Alyssa looking for a new room to sleep in. Hope mentally shook her thoughts and started jogging back to the school, it was quite the hike and she didn't have vampire speed.

Josie looked at her oatmeal with a slight lump in her throat. She and Lizzie were waiting for this big announcement their parents had planned. Josie was worried about what their parents wanted to tell them, well the whole upper class. MG was sitting in front of Lizzie, they were talking amongst themselves, Josie had tuned them out.

Something made Josie look up to the other side of the room, like some kind of cosmic force. Her eyes immediately found Hope. She was just getting out of the breakfast line, her auburn hair damp and wavy, creating a small mark of water on her dark blue sweater. Her light eyes found Josie and she gave a small smile, changing her course to their table.

Josie hadn't seen much of Hope over the last few days, Josie ordered the magic lessons to end until Hope could get through them without looking like she was ready for a nap, her mother had Hope busy most mornings. Josie had seen a good change in Hope, even though they had to stop their morning magic class, Hope seemed lighter, maybe not happier but not ready to blow up like a bomb.