IN WHICH - The last thing that Hope Mikaelson expected when she came out of Malivore was to still be alive, the second last thing she expected was to be disowned by most of her living family, and the final last thing she expected was some ancient be...
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THIRD PERSON POV
CHAPTER 28
The sun was just beginning to rise as the trio—Hope, Rick, and Daryl—gathered their gear and made their way to the prison. The air was still cool, a crisp reminder of the early morning hours. Hope, feeling the strength that had built up within her over the past couple of months, walked with a renewed sense of purpose, the weight of her rest now a distant memory. Rick, beside her, looked like he hadn't had a full night of rest in weeks, but his focus was unwavering. Daryl, ever the silent protector, walked at the rear, keeping an eye on their surroundings.
"Feels good to be out again," Hope said, glancing back at Rick with a playful smile. "I thought I was going to go stir-crazy after being stuck inside for so long."
Rick chuckled lightly. "Yeah, the whole night you had to sleep inside. The rest of us were busy running around like chickens with their heads cut off."
Hope raised an eyebrow. "Hey, don't complain. Last night was rough, I slept for two months, that builds up some energy. I did get some insider information on the whole leader speech you made, Mr. This-isn't-a-democracy," she teased, nudging him with her elbow.
Rick smirked but rolled his eyes. "Someone had to do it, right?"
Hope grinned. "You sure know how to remind a guy of his speeches," she teased again, not missing the opportunity to joke with him.
Daryl, who had been walking just behind them, let out a soft grunt of frustration. "You two never shut up, do ya?"
Rick and Hope exchanged a quick glance, both of them laughing softly.
"Guess not," Rick said with a smirk. "But don't worry, Daryl. It's good for you. You need to laugh more."
Daryl shook his head in mock frustration. "I get enough of that at camp. No need to drag me into it."
Hope couldn't resist. "Oh, come on, you love it."
Daryl shot her a look, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Yeah, right."
"So, Rick," Hope started, her voice light, playful. "I heard you and Daryl had your hands full when I was done for. It seems you handled it well. How are you so calm right now? You are a lot less angsty than before."
Rick looked over at her with a slight chuckle. "I'm not always calm. It's just that after everything we've been through, there's not much that rattles me anymore." He paused for a moment, then smirked. "But I'll admit, I do get rattled by certain things."
Hope raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Oh? Like what?"
Rick's smirk deepened, and there was a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "Well, I'll tell you one thing that rattles me: the way you keep sneaking glances at me." He said it in such a casual tone that Hope couldn't help but laugh.
