White Wolf (Laurel Lance)

Merry Christmas

At the Medbay of the Timeship, Hope Mikaelson was checking on one half of the Firestorm Matrix following the recent events that took place in Chicago at the 1920s during Al Capone's reign.

"Professor Stein, Are you sure you're going to be ok?" Hope asked him. "You took a nasty blow to the head."

The astrophysict appreciated the Tribrid's concerns. But he's been in worse predicaments. "Mrs. Mikaelson, I was held captive by a zealot Soviet scientist and an immortal tryant at a gulag for 24 hours with little to no nourishment. This is mere child's play."

Somehow she believed him. "Right."

"Although I should be asking you that question." Stein said, making the auburn Tribrid look at him quizzically. "I heard about your unfortunate encounter with your father. I imagine it must've been a difficult experience for you to meet an past version of a paternal figure indulging in his sinful habit."

Hope let out a sigh thinking about. While trying to correct the critical mistake Ray made by handing Elliot over to Chicago PD who was known to be the most corrupt Police force at that time, she had the misfortunate luck when she laid her eyes on her father having a snack at a nearby alley. For a moment she was the 10 year old girl who was exposed to her father's dark side for the first time all over again. "It was. I mean I knew that my father wasn't a good man. When youhear about the things he's done in his prolonged lifetime, it kinda put a damper on things. Klaus Mikaelson, The great evil. That's all you ever need to know."

Hope scoffed. "I resented him for a long time, for abandoning me when I needed him the most. I remember the days wondering why can't he just be a normal dad that would take his little girl to ballet dance or worrying about who she should go out with."

"And despite your obvious resentment towards him, you still loved your dead dearly." Stein assumed.

Hope nodded. "I do. I just wished that I would've realized it sooner."

Stein couldn't relate to her more than anything in this moment. "Mrs Mikaelson. I too had a father who wasn't the ideal paternal figure in my adolescents. I still remember the days where I had to clean used glasses from the bottle of whiskey he would often drink when he wasn't gambling away our family fortunes. Hence why I didn't want children because of my innate fears of repeating the cycle of neglect." He recalled. "But I've soon learned quickly that just because you fear that the path a parent is on will mimic yours, doesn't mean it won't come to fruition. Forge your own path."

Stein placed his callous hand on her shoulder as he looked at her in the eyes. "Only you can make your own future, Hope Andrea Mikaelson."

The Original Tribrid was touched by his words.

XXXX

The jovial sprit of the Holidays was on full throttle as most of the Legends were having a Christmas feast by eating turkey and exchanging presents. Hope and her Wife Beth, a werewolf/vampire hybrid were swaying slowly to the Christmas songs played by Gideon in the background.

"Well, that's one holiday written down for the record books." Bucky mused, sipping a cool beer supplied by Mick no less who was on his fourth.

"You said it, Buck." Sara replied clinking her beer with his in toast. It brought back some some pleasant holiday memories, like the first Christmas they celebrated together after their first meeting during kindergarten after the Peter Pan incident during school play. "So what gifts did you get for me?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Sara." he said. "I hope it's not some league of Assassins sword you had from Nanda Parbat because we got plenty of sharp ."

Sara snorted."Nah, I got something better."

She went to get something underneath the table and handed him a neatly wrapped present. He opened it only to see a picture of her grandmother standing next to JFK at the Oval Office of the White House, five years after the end of WW2. It brought a sad smile to his lips. "Thanks Sara."
Bucky went to retrieve a letter from underneath the table and handed it over to the former League Assassin.

"This is my Dad's handwriting." Sara noted, unfolding it only for her eyes to be brimming with tears. Inside the letter was a picture of her, her father and Laurel taken the summer before Laurel's senior year with a note written in Quentin's writing.

"Happy Birthday, Kiddo."

XXXX

As presents were exchanged, Hope was writing down her wish, continuing the long family tradition while Beth had her arms wrapped around her waist with her chin placed on her shoulder and placed it under the Christmas tree.

"Make my own destiny than the one that has been written for me."

"Merry Christmas, Hope Mikaelson." Beth murmured into ear as the Tribrid leaned into her.

"Merry Christmas, Beth Sanders-Mikaelson."