Back To The Beginning

Chapter 9

Hope's POV: Walking into the kitchen, I allowed my shoulders to relax as I sighed in relief, glad to be away from the deafening music and loud teenagers. Stepping away from the door, I walked over to the fridge to look for a can of soda, but all I could find was beer and cheap wine. Scrunching my nose up in disgust, I shook my head before turning around to return to the party only to walk into someone, causing me to stumble backward. "Whoa. Damn, Lizzie. How much did you drink", I heard someone laugh, before my eyes zeroed on a familiar face. 

"Excuse me", I scoffed, taking a step back.

"You don't have to lie to me", he laughed. "I get it", he smiled, causing me to frown in confusion as he stepped forward to push a strand of hair behind my ear. "God, you're beautiful", he whispered, cupping my face before meeting my eyes. "Why don't we take this somewhere a bit more...private", he suggested, looking me over with dark eyes. "There's plenty of bedrooms upstairs", he offered, licking his lips before I jerked away from him in disgust. 

"I'm good. Thanks", I declined.

"Oh, come on-"

"No offense, Connor, but I wouldn't touch you if you were the last person on Earth", I shrugged. "And, if I'm being honest, you were more charming as a giant spider", I commented, causing his expression to twist in anger as I walked passed him.

Shouldering through the crowd, I made my way over toward Josie and Penelope as I shivered in disgust. "Hey, guys. I'm really sorry, but I think I'm gonna turn in for tonight", I admitted, causing them to exchange odd looks.

"Why? Is everything okay", Josie asked in concern.

"Thanks, but I'm fine", I assured.

"Are you sure", Penelope questioned. "Because I can walk you two back if-"

"I just really haven't been sleeping that well the past few nights, so I thought I might turn in early. Really. I'm fine. Nothing to worry about", I explained. With everything that's been going on with the Gods, I can't exactly remember when I've had a goods night rest. Probably before Landon died. "But there's really no need for you two to leave early. Stay. Have a few drinks. Just be normal teenagers for one night", I suggested, watching Josie's eyes mist over.

"Really", Josie asked hesitantly. 

"Of course. You deserve it", I smiled, before she threw herself into my arms. 

"I love you", she whispered, causing me to pause momentarily before remembering where I am and who I'm meant to be. Right. I still look like Lizzie. 

Pulling away, I smiled more gently before sharing a look with Penelope. "Have fun, but not too much fun", I warned, pointing at Penelope with a playful stern look, but, in reality, I was dead serious. Josie had the worse track record when it came to dating people. Penelope literally flew half-way across the world to get away from her, Rafael slept with her sister, and Landon broke up with her to be with me. I really thought her and Finch would last, but, in a shocking turn of events, Josie left her to chase after a long lost love. Smiling at the couple once more, I squeezed Josie's hand as if to tell her good luck before making my way toward the door. 

Walking out the door, I inhaled deeply as my exhaustion finally caught up to me. It's kind of a relief to not have to worry about monsters showing up and attacking the school anytime soon, but it's also going to be a pain in the ass to relive everything that's happened in the passed two years. Hopefully, Lizzie and I can figure out this whole body swap situation before anything major happens. 

Opening the gate, I made my way toward the school, covering my mouth to stifle a yawn, before nearly choking on air as my back hit the ground roughly. Looking up into golden eyes, I swore under my breath as the wolf on top of me bared its teeth with a threatening growl, that vibrated through my body, nearly sending me into cardiac rest. "Lizzie", I gaped, before quickly refocusing on the werewolf inches above my face. "Lizzie, you've got to fight this, okay", I told her, trying to keep my voice calm, but all that seemed to do is piss her off more. I gasped, throwing my arms up in defense before her teeth sank into my arm as my eyes flew open in alarm.

With everything we've been through, fighting horrifying monsters and literal Gods, this shouldn't scare me. I've thrown myself into Malivore and died just to save everyone. The only difference is that I wouldn't come back this time. I wasn't the all powerful tribrid anymore. I was just a mortal girl. And that thought scared me. 

And what about Lizzie? She never wanted any of this. How would she feel, knowing that she not only killed someone, but that she's was stuck being Hope Mikaelson forever? I almost expected Lizzie to say some clever remark about Karma coming to bite me in the ass, but all I got was blood and drool dripping down the side of her mouth as she bared her teeth at me. "Lizzie", I spoke up, my voice trembling slightly. "Lizzie, I know you can hear me. You're stronger than this. I know you are", I told her quietly, wincing as the wolf snarled. "Lizzie, please...", I pleaded, shutting my eyes tightly as fear threatened to cloud my brain.

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Lizzie's POV: I blinked, looking around in confusion before noticing that I was practically laying on top of myself. My first thought was that I was dreaming, and that any minute I'll wake up in my own bed. My second thought was that I had fuck up, abysmally. I just didn't know how badly I had fucked up until I turned my attention toward the girl once more, my memories coming back to me, causing my heart to stop. Scrambling backward, I tried to keep my breathing under control as the edges of my vision darkened. Was she dead because of me? Did I kill her? I wasn't sure whether she was breathing or not. 

Please don't be hurt. 

"Hope", I croaked, before catching a whiff of something familiar. Of something I had tasted mere hours before when Ken nearly killed me. Something I should not be able to distinguish so easily as I did now. 

My blood. I was bleeding.

Hope was bleeding.

Crawling over beside her, my hands shook as I noticed that her eyes were open, staring up at the sky in an almost dazed expression. "H-hope", I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. 

"We should get inside", she finally said, pushing herself up slowly. 

The smell of my blood hit my nose like a strong perfume, and I caught myself inhaling the scent before my eyes zeroed in on the way she was holding her right arm. My heart clenched at the sight of the bite mark as tears threatened to spill from my eyes. I opened my mouth to apologized or at least say something, but nothing left my lips. I was too stunned. 

"Lizzie...", she sighed, laying a hand on my arm before I pulled away from her almost immediately. 

"What happened", I asked, not able to look away from her arm. I knew the question was stupid. I knew what happened. I remember running out of the library, and the feeling of my bones breaking. But I almost needed to hear it. "Did I...", I choked out, shaking my head in denial. 

"It's okay. I know it wasn't you", she assured, as I took a deep breath and caught another hint of blood. I almost can remember what my blood had tasted like on my werewolf-tongue. I can still taste it. It reminds me of all the times that I accidentally busted my lip or bit my tongue, but something was different. Something inside of me almost liked the taste of my blood, and that thought was very unsettling. "Lizzie", Hope questioned, snapping me out of my thoughts as I realized that we were still sitting on the cool ground, her gaze purposefully averted from me.

Looking down, my cheeks reddened as I realized that I was once again looking at Hope's naked form. "Son of a bitch", I cursed, causing Hope to snort as I caught the blush spreading to her neck. "You're right. We should go, wash up and fix that", I mumbled, getting to my feet before helping Hope up. "Huh...what do I do about...", I trailed off, gesturing toward the lack of clothes on myself. 

"Right. There should be a change of clothes nearby", she said, before leading me toward the woods.