I Won't Give Up - Hosie

If Looks Could Kill

"You're pregnant?" Lizzie whispers lowly.

Josie just nods her head.

"And you haven't told Hope yet?"

"No, I've been meaning to but I'm just waiting for the right time," Josie explains, though it sounds more like an excuse than a reason. "But I think she found out, she must've seen my test in the trash or something."

"What makes you think that?"

"She's been acting weird around me lately, almost like she's trying to keep her distance from me."

"What are you talking about?" Lizzie rolls her eyes. "That kiss earlier was so not rated G."

"She's trying to act normal, like nothing is wrong. But I could tell that her mind was somewhere else," Josie sighs. "Plus, that comment she made about a 'full house.' We didn't plan for this. I'm worried she's starting to pull away from me."

"You're just being paranoid, Josie."

"No, she's being flight-y. Did you see the way she bolted out of here?"

"Ok, yeah, that was kinda weird," Lizzie admits. "But maybe there's a simple explanation. Why don't you try to relax a little and help me decorate for the party?"

Josie reluctantly agrees to drop it for now. Instead, she busies herself with hanging streamers along the walls and  blowing up balloons for the occasion with her sister.

A few hours later, the doorbell rings and Josie's parents are the first to arrive.

"Mom, Dad, come in," Josie opens the door.

Lizzie comes to the door with Lucas in her arms and they all hug hello.

"Where's Hope?" Caroline looks around for the girl.

"Right here," she comes down the stairs, right on cue. "It looks amazing in here," Hope revels at the decorations and pecks Josie on the cheek at the bottom of the stairs.

"Stop avoiding me," Josie whispers so no one else can hear.

"What? I haven't been avoiding you," she immediately denies, but Josie can tell she's lying.

"Then what were you doing up there?"

"Just some work," she answers tersely.

"Really?" Josie pushes further. "So it was imperative that you lock yourself away until the guests arrive?"

Hope can sense her accusatory tone.

"If you have something to say to me about our little situation, then just say it," she frustratedly urges Hope.

"I don't want to do this right now," she shakes her head and walks past Josie.

"Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore," Hope puts on a smile and greets Josie's parents with a hug.

"Please, call us Caroline and Stefan," Caroline insists, though Stefan doesn't seem to appreciate the relegation of his title.

They all migrate into the living room to make conversation.

Naturally, Hope is talking with Stefan about property taxes and Caroline is talking with her daughters about her and Stefan's most recent trip to Europe.

The tension in the room increases each time Hope and Josie accidentally make eye contact. Hope desperately wants to ask what's wrong, but she gets the feeling now isn't an appropriate time.

Plus, it doesn't help that Lizzie is also occasionally glaring daggers at her too.

'Great, I guess Lizzie is in on whatever I did wrong too,' Hope thinks to herself.

"Is everything okay, Josie?" Caroline asks her daughter. "You seem a little... agitated."

"I'm fine, mom. I'm just a little drained from setting up for today," Josie answers. "Too bad Hope had to work."

"You know me," Hope forces an awkward laugh.

When everyone is eventually lulled into silence, Hope jumps at the chance to get the door when the bell rings again.

She's disappointed to see it's not her aunts and uncles coming to save her from Josie's silent wrath.

"Elena," Hope answers the door with Luke on her hip.

"Hope, it's nice to see you again," she lies through her fake smile. "This is my husband Damon."

"The little guy has a hint of the devil in his eyes," Damon smiles. "I like it."

"Brother," Stefan and Damon happily embrace.

"Men are so dramatic," Caroline remarks as she and Elena hug.

They come in and chat when Hope gets a text that her family is almost there. True to their word, they arrive 5 minutes later.

"Sorry we're late," Keelin apologizes. "We got a flat tire on the way from the airport."

"Yeah, and we had to pull over twice because this one kept throwing up," Rebekah points to Kol.

"As if you didn't hold us up trying to pick out the perfect outfit, sister," he shoots back.

"That's my wife you're talking to," Marcel jokingly warns.

Kol looks to Davina expectantly.

"What do you want me to do?" Davina throws her hands up in the air.

"Break it up, you crazies," Hope stops their squabbling. "You're just in time for dinner."

"Just you wait, soon you and Josie are going to be fighting like an old married couple too," Freya jokes.

"Yeah," Hope laughs nervously.

'Only if Josie doesn't kill me first with her glare.'