A New Chance

Sheila Bennett

Hope POV:

I had been spending time with Caroline and Bonnie, explaining the Supernatural to newbies is always exhausting. It's better sharing stories not having to hide details. Caroline liked sitting in and watching me teach Bonnie magic. Sometimes she would sit in our circle while we chanted, I wondered if there would be side effects but haven't seen any so far.

I had also explained to the girls that I was a Mikaelson and that things will go haywire for a while;  but that they will be protected and everyone they love will be okay. The girls knew I had their backs, not doubting me.

Damon refused to believe that Katherine was in Florida, still searching for ways to open the Tomb. His killing had increased, the councils suspicion had intensified. So much so that John Gilbert had arrived to town. I had warned Damn and Stefan about him, that he was being compelled by Katherine and Elena's mother. For once Damon took my advice on being normal around him.

I had convinced Zach to leave town, putting the house in Stefan's name. I had written him a check for two hundred million, enough for him and his daughter to disappear forever. Stefan hadn't told me it was his birthday when a vampire suddenly burst into his house. I raced up to help him when I found them laughing together.

"I take it you are having a surprise guest?" I asked aloud. "Hope, this is Lexi. Lexi,this is Hope. She's here to make sure I celebrate my birthday." He told me. "Well friends of Stefan are friends of mine, it's nice to meet you Lexi Branson. I've heard great things about you." I told her shaking her hand. She looked back at Stefan giving him a 'what the fuck' look.

"I didn't say a word before now." He told her, putting his hands up. "It's true, I know things, I'm powerful and I know things." I told her. She laughed and shrugged. "It's nice to meet you Hope. Strange as you are, I like you." She said putting an arm around me. Damon was being loud and obnoxious downstairs, Lexi grew angry.

I followed her downstairs, watching her throw him against a wall threatening him. The problem with Damon is that he takes threats as challenges when he should be learning. What I didn't expect was for him to start crying, apologizing for leaving her to burn. The compulsion was reminding him of the pain, the torment he put women...Lexi through.

"Ugh this is just sad." She said wiping her hands off leaving him crying on the floor. While Lexi returned to Stefan upstairs I stayed with Damon. "Been making any plans to deal with the Council?  Such as killing Lexi to get rid of the 'town vampire' that the Sheriff has been talking to you about? I will make you claw your eyes out over and over again if you do anything to her." I threatened him.

8 hours later

I had been waiting at the Grill, chilling outside. Watching the deputies being on high alert was a little stressful. Keeping an eye out for Damon, protecting Lexi from his stupidity was even more stressful. I relaxed watching Stefan enter with Lexi. I knew I had about an hour or two to kill.

We spent that time drinking and playing pool, I was still on high alert as they planned to leave. Stefan went to the bathroom while Lexi headed to get fresh air. Just as she was about to step outside, I took her place walking outside. Damon moved in to stab, thinking it was Lexi. I broke his hands, making him drop the stake.

Lexi came out seeing the commotion. "Take him back to the Boarding House, I will be with you shortly." I told her, breaking his neck. She waited until nobody was looking to speed off to the house. I told Stefan what he tried to do, he knew that Lexi and I would be punishing him. He decided to go to a hotel in a different city for the night.

When Damon came to, Lexi and I had chained him to a chair. I let Lexi take the lead on the tormenting, Stefan had asked to not bloody up the floors to bad. I vanished the blood when it would pool too much. Once Lexi was done, she left Damon to me. Before she left I made her a set of daylight rings for her and her boyfriend. They would be safe from supernatural interference as well.

My way of punishing Damon was using compulsion to make him hurt himself like Dad did with Katherine. I simultaneously made him live every memory of those he's killed as his victims. He would be at this for days. Eventually the victims will run out and he will stop. We will deal with him then. He won't remember me compelling him, just Lexi punishing him.

Bonnie had invited me to her Grandmothers house. I knew I had my work cut out for me with Sheila. Bonnie didn't really understand the impact my family name has on people, but Sheila does. Bonnie was waiting for me in her room, when I knocked on her front door. I had texted her that I had to meet her Grandmother first and that she should listen in.

I waited for Sheila to open the door. As she did, she stayed well within her doorway. "Good afternoon Ms. Bennett, I'm a friend of Bonnie's." I said offering my hand. As she took it she felt the full force of my essence, it was impossible to drown out my other DNA with such an experienced witch.

"Good afternoon Ms. Mikaelson. My Granddaughter may not know who you are and who your family is but I sure do. Now please leave my porch." She said, waiting for me to leave. "Ms. Bennett, if I may say my piece." I waited for her to agree, she nodded her head.

"While I may be a Mikaelson, I'm not the vicious killers that my family are. I've helped more people than I've hurt, I never asked to be born. I can help you if you'll let me. You are a powerful witch on your own, but your lifeline is fading. The drinking has done extensive damage." I told her, whispering the last bit.

"How could you possibly know that!" She hissed at me stepping out onto her porch. "I can show you." I said offering my hand. She stepped back inside, but took my hand. Images of Damon forcing her to save Bonnie, the Tomb opening. Vampires flooding the town, her death from over exertion. How Bonnie had nobody to help her, how everyone used her constantly.

By the time it was over, Sheila and I had tears in our eyes. "I want to help." I told her once more. This time she welcomed me inside. I spent a couple hours with Bonnie, doing homework, practicing earth magic. I was building her strength, teaching her how to defend herself.

Before I left, I stopped to talk to Sheila again. "Thank you, Ms. Bennett. I think it's my turn to help you." I told her. I instructed her to lay down on her back. I put my hand over her liver, "This may hurt, I'll be feeding you magic to counteract the pain." I told her as I started removing the Cirrhosis from the liver. She groaned in pain as her body finally started healing.

I pulled out a blood bag from my backpack. Once I consumed it, I continued feeding her magic, refilling her core. She sat up, "I feel better than I have in years. Thank you." She said, feeling strong in her body. "I'm not quite finished. This is a ring that will give you immortal youth, and protect you from supernatural death." I told her handing her a ring.

Once she put it on, I watched as the years faded away, she walked to a mirror and gasped in shock. "I may have been too harsh in my assessment of your family. Thank you for the gifts, please come by anytime." She told me, looking from her reflection to me. I went back upstairs and explained things to Bonnie, how her Gran now looks like her Aunt.