Fight With Me

Chapter 21

ON THE PRIVATE JET

The steady hum of the jet engines faded into the background, swallowed by the voices screaming inside Hope and Josie's heads.

She's gone.
It's your fault.
You should have stayed together.
Find her. Find her.

The words repeated over and over, twisting tighter each time, until the pain became unbearable.

Hope gasped, her hand flying to her chest as a sharp, burning ache tore through her. "No. No, Josie," she choked, tears spilling down her face.

Josie cried out at the same time, the pain mirroring Hope's so perfectly it felt like their hearts were being ripped apart in sync. They collapsed to the floor of the jet, clutching themselves as their sobs turned into raw, desperate screams.

"Hope!" Josie cried.

"Josie!" Hope screamed back.

Freya jolted awake at the sound, her heart immediately racing. "What the hell?" she said, already on her feet.

Keelin sat up beside her, eyes wide with fear. "Something's wrong."

By the time Freya reached them, Hope and Josie were writhing on the floor, their magic flaring uncontrollably. The pain rolling off them was almost tangible.

"I've got this," Freya said quickly, panic threading through her voice as she focused. "I'm putting them to sleep."

She whispered the spell, magic blooming softly around them. Within seconds, the screams faded, their bodies going limp as they slipped into an unnatural but peaceful sleep.

Freya exhaled shakily. "That's all I can do right now."

⸻

LATER – AT THE MANSION

The jet landed without incident, but the tension followed them all the way to the ground.

Freya and Keelin carried Hope and Josie carefully off the plane and into the waiting car, laying them gently across the backseat. Keelin hovered, brushing Josie's hair back from her face.

"What if sleeping doesn't help?" Keelin asked quietly.

Freya swallowed. "Then we'll deal with it when they wake up. Right now, they need to be somewhere safe."

The drive to the mansion felt endless.

⸻

SEPARATE ROOMS – HOPE & JOSIE'S POV

When they finally woke, it was alone.

Josie shot upright in bed, her heart slamming against her ribs as panic flooded her system. The memory of pain hit her all at once.

"Hope?" she called, voice breaking. "Hope, where are you?"

Across the hall, Hope jolted awake, her chest tightening painfully. "Josie?" she shouted, already sliding off the bed. The emptiness of the room crushed her. "No. Josie, please."

The ache returned instantly, sharp and suffocating.

They screamed for each other, voices echoing through the mansion as the same frantic thought clawed through both of their minds.

Find her.
You need her.
Find her.

Josie collapsed to the floor, curling into herself as the pain intensified.

Hope did the same, gasping for air as tears streamed down her face.

⸻

FREYA'S POV

I was in the kitchen when I heard them.

Their cries cut straight through me.

"Keelin!" I yelled, already running. "Now!"

I burst into Josie's room first. She was on the floor, shaking, sobbing Hope's name like it was the only thing keeping her breathing.

"Josie," I said softly, dropping beside her, but she barely registered me.

I ran to Hope's room next. She looked just as broken, clutching her chest, eyes glassy with pain.

"Hope," I said urgently, gripping her shoulders. "She's here. Josie is here."

Her eyes focused on me slowly. "I need her," she whispered. "Please."

⸻

KEELIN'S POV

We didn't hesitate.

"They can't be apart," I said. "Not like this."

Freya nodded immediately.

We guided Josie into Hope's room. The moment they saw each other, the tension snapped.

Josie rushed forward, collapsing into Hope's arms as both of them broke down completely.

"I thought I lost you," Hope cried, holding her tight.

"I was so scared," Josie sobbed, burying her face into Hope's neck.

Their breathing slowly synced, the pain easing as they clung to each other like anchors.

Freya and I quietly stepped back, knowing this was the only thing that would help.

⸻

SIX A.M. – THE KITCHEN

The sun crept through the windows as Freya and I sat at the table, exhaustion weighing heavy on both of us.

"What now?" I asked quietly.

Freya stared down the hallway. "Now we give them time," she said. "And we figure out what this bond is really doing to them."

⸻

MYSTIC FALLS

Alaric slammed his glass down on the desk, bourbon sloshing dangerously close to the edge.

"Goddammit," he muttered, rubbing his temples. "What have I done?"

Before he could sink any further into his thoughts, a scream tore through the house.

"AHHHHH!"

His heart dropped into his stomach.

"Lizzie," he breathed, already running.

Whatever had started wasn't over.
And he knew, deep down, that things were about to get much worse.