A Secret Worth Keeping

Chapter 17

Hope's POV: I huffed, sitting down at the half-counter as I tapped my gun against my thigh impatiently. My coffee mug sat empty in front of me, and the slow drip of the coffee maker seemed to mock me. I had hardly gotten any sleep last night. My brain had been working overtime, processing everything Lizzie had told me, and plaguing me with new thoughts of doubts and potentially lethal situations. 

I had even slipped into an almost dream for a few moments that had a dangerous gang from New Orleans crashing through the front door to take revenge on me and my family...and that is why I could do without dreams for now. 

No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't seem to get Lizzie's confession out of my head. I hated the idea of that bastard still being out there somewhere. What if he came looking for her again? What if he's the one responsible for the target on Sophie's back?  

I sat up straighter as I heard a door open upstairs, and the sound of Lizzie's slippers on the stairs.  "Morning", she mumbled with a yawn as she shuffled into the kitchen, heading straight to the coffee maker, and snagging my mug as she walked by. 

"I have to go back to New Orleans", I announced, watching Lizzie's shoulders tense before she slowly turned around.

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Lizzie's POV: I slowly turned around, dropping the granola bar I had taken from the cabinet. I suddenly didn't feel very hungry anymore. I wrapped my arms around myself self-consciously, trying to understand why my heart was trembling. "Okay, just let me go awake up Sophie, and we'll pack a bag-"

"You're not going, Lizzie", she told me, causing me to swallow thickly. 

"You planning on kidnapping my daughter, Mikaelson", I joked, attempting to mask my raising panic as the coffee finally boiled over.

"I'm serious, Lizzie. Something came up, and Penelope asked for my help", she explained as I picked up the mug and turned off the coffee maker. 

"And Josie...", I asked, tracing the rim of the mug with my finger. 

"She doesn't know", she said, causing me to nod.

"If that's what you think is best", I shrugged, pouring the dark liquid into Hope's cup.

I knew this would happen, that things would be different once I told her the truth. I just had hoped that things wouldn't be 'different' between us, but it seemed I was being naive. 

Everything was different now.

I've told Hope everything, and I couldn't take it back. 

"Lizzie, I'm not going to tell Josie your secret. I promised you I wouldn't", she said, too grumpy and tired to really fight at the moment.

"I believe you", I nodded, setting her mug down in front of her. 

"I just wanted to help them out, and pick up a few things", she said. "The least I can do is reassure them that we aren't laying in a ditch somewhere", she huffed.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Hope", I told her, walking across the kitchen to grab a soda from the fridge. 

"Well good, because I'm not", she threw back, before downing her coffee in one go. 

I smiled to myself, recognizing the familiar tone in her voice as I made my way toward the living room only to pause halfway up the stairs as I heard her toss her mug in the sink. 

Hearing Hope moving around in the living room, I sighed, looking down at my can as I tried to work up the courage to turn around. "Hope", I spoke up. "You will come back...right", I asked uncertainly, keeping my back turned.