Time After Time (Book 3) DISCONTINUED

Chapter 8

"Hope! Hope! Hope, stop!" Hope awakes from the sounds of Cleo screaming. She looks around to see their room is a mess. "I'm sorry." She whispers. "I guess i was dreaming." Cleo sighs and stands up. "About murdering me with a tornado?" She jokes. "No, i think Landon was trying to send me a message, but something wouldn't let him." "What sort of message?" Cleo climbs back onto her bed. "That he's alive." Hope smiles. The doors suddenly burst open. "What happened?! Where's mom?!" Marshall asks as he casts a spell to light up the room. "What is it?! Where is it?!" Andrea comes in close behind with a fire spell at the ready. "Twins! Calm down, everything's fine. Just a bad dream. You can both go back to sleep. Is that a grimoire?" She spots the book in her daughters hands. "Yeah, why?" She shrugs. "Nevermind," she stands and gives them both a hug and leans on her tiptoes to give them both a kiss on the forehead. "Just go back to sleep. Sorry i woke you up." They both nod and leave the room. "Goodnight mom, goodnight auntie Cleo." "Goodnight children." Cleo smiles at them. She looks at Hope once the door shuts. "Auntie Cleo?" She asks. "Oh it's nothing, apparently we become very close in the future. Not like, actually in-laws or anything but family friends, i guess." Hope smiles as she goes back to bed. Cleo nods as she gets back under the covers. "So, who are your in-laws? Apart from Lizzie and Dr. Saltzman, of course." Hope sighs. "MG, i think. But they never mentioned if they have any cousins or anything so i don't know if they have any kids." Cleo shakes her head. "But it is not possible for a vampire to pro-create. Your father was the exception." Hope nods. "True, my father was a hybrid. But we do know someone who has the cure to vampirism, maybe MG takes it in the future?" She guesses. "Maybe, but for now, let us get back to sleep."

The next morning, after talking to Alaric, Hope goes to Lizzie's room and asks for her help. "I understand why you want to go charging into Mordor, but we don't even know if Frodo is still alive." Lizzie tells her. "If you don't want to be a part of the Fellowship, there's the door." Hope looks at her. Lizzie sighs. "I promised my dad that i would help you and be your supernatural fact-checker, but i want you to manage your expectations, Hope. I know you. I've known you practically my whole life, and i've gotten to know you even better as sister-in-laws, and you'll keep looking whether we find proof or not." "I'll burn the bridge once i come to it." Hope smirks. "That's what i'm afraid of." "Afraid of what, exactly?" Josie walks in. "Hey love." Josie goes and kisses Hope. "None of your business. Aren't you late for class?" Lizzie asks her. "Uh, i was just looking for my chemistry notebook, could've sworn i left it here, so...." Josie looks around. "Right, in Landon's room. Nice try, Nosey Josie." Lizzie grabs her arm and pushes her towards the door. "Fine, i heard about the ascendent, you're clearly doing a spell. And if it's about Landon, i mean, i can help. I want to help, that's my wife's best friend." Lizzie nods as she pushes her out the door and closes it. "Mhm." "That was rude." Hope tells her. "I'll say. My sister, your wife, is supposed to be all about that muggle life, not snooping around witchy stuff. And the left time that she 'helped', she shattered the sandclock, became Darth Pigtails and damn near burned down this school. Not to mention, tried to kill you, her own wife, so that she could turn off your humanity and you two rule the world together. So, icks-nay on the magic around her."

"Works for me. I have a feeling dealing with one Saltzman sister is gonna be hard enough today." Hope smiles tightly. "That's the spirit, sis. Now let's get this over with." They both sit in the circle and hold hands. "Ah-ah! No!" Hope pulls her hands back. "What? What now?" Lizzie asks her. "No holding hands across like that. That's mine and Josie's thing." Hope holds her hands out straight. Lizzie rolls her eyes. "Oh my god, i don't need to know what your 'thing' is ok?" She holds her hands once again and starts the spell. Once they found the letter that Landon left, they head back to the real world and gather everyone to discuss a game plan. After finding out that Lizzie will not take part in the plan, Hope decides to visit Mystic Falls. She was not about to bring her kids into this mess. After searching for about ten minutes, she finds Josie at her locker talking to one of her friends. "Josie?" "Who's this five feet of trouble?" Finch asks as she looks at her. "Uh, my girlfriend. Hope, it's weird to see you here. What do you need?" Josie gives her a hug. "That help you offered me this morning." Hope tells her. Josie nods and turns back to Finch. "I'll see you at lunch?" She asks. "For sure. You ditching class with the girlfriend now?" Finch smirks. "It's not like that. And stop checking her out." Josie hugs her goodbye. "Fine, i'll catch you later, nice meeting you Hope!" Finch walks off to class. "Uh, you too! What was that about?" She asks Josie as they walk out of school. "Nothing, Finch just thinks you're attractive." Josie smiles. "Oh? And what do you think?" Hope asks before grabbing her hand. "I think, that my wife better watch out. And that Finch would never do that, she's a good friend." Josie nods. "I can see that, i'm glad you're making friends here Jo." Hope kisses her cheek. "I like Finch, she's cool. And she's normal for a change. Not like anyone at the Salvatore school isn't great, especially you, but it's nice to have a magic free life." Hope sighs and stops walking. "And here i am, pulling you back into it." Josie shakes her head. "Hey, it's ok. You're my wife, my family, i'd do anything for you and the twins, you know that." Hope smiles and nods. "Yeah, i know. How did i get so lucky?" She asks before grabbing her waist. "I don't know, maybe it was fate." Josie smiles back before wrapping her arms over her shoulders. "Or maybe it was our kids coming back from the future." Hope smirks. "That too, but i honestly think that we would have gotten together by ourselves, regardless." Josie rests her forehead on hers. "You think so?" Hope looks into her eyes. "I know so." Josie looks back into her before leaning in to kiss her. After about a minute, Hope pulls away. "We should really get going." Josie nods and lets her lead the way.