For Good | Hale- TO/TW [8]

1 | Visiting

As the sun rises in New Orleans, Hope Mikaelson lays alone in bed and stares at the open doors to her balcony. Her phone buzzes beside her, but she ignores it. How could she concentrate on anything, given what is going on in her family?

Her mother is missing. No one knows where Hayley Marshall and Laura Hale are. The rest of the family is scattered across the world. And Hope is alone in her bedroom.

A loud bang from downstairs causes Hope to sit up. Quick footfalls echo in Hope's ears as she quietly gets out of bed. The door to her room creaks open.

"No way!" Hope grins, her apprehension gone when she sees who stands in the threshold.

In the doorway, a black-haired girl smirks at her cousin. "Guess who's visiting!" Stella Hale exclaims, hugging Hope tightly.

Hope laughs as she picks up the sixteen-year-old and spins. The witch shouts at the trybrid, but both are laughing. "I can't believe you're here!" Hope says, putting her down.

A sigh comes from the door. "You better believe it," Uncle Derek says as he leans against the door frame. Hope smiles as she gives him a hug. "Your Aunt Lexi is going to kill me."

Something in his voice makes Hope pull away. His features, usually bright with happiness, are sunken and dark. He looks tired.

"What's wrong?" Hope asks.

"I just drove all night, and now I have to go find your mom. I'm tired," Derek replies with a hint of a smirk on his lips. "But, I wanted to say hello to my niece. Who is, what, twenty?"

Hope elbows his arm. "I'm twenty-three."

"Close enough."

"Dad!" Stella whines, bouncing on Hope's bed. "Go find Aunt Hayley and Aunt Laura. Hope is mine for the day."

Derek smiles down at his daughter. Hope sees the concern hidden in his eyes. Her mom has the same look. "Fine, I'll leave you two alone. Please call me if something happens."

Stella nods as he presses a kiss to her forehead. As he leaves, Hope closes the door behind him.

Stella squeals, jumping off the bed to drag Hope back. "I have so much to tell you! T says hi, but he's on his semester abroad. But first, tell me about the Salva-bore school."

Hope rolls her eyes. "It's not boring, per-say. The kids listen to me, at least. Plus, since I'm a teacher now, no one questions me."

"Yeah, until you turn a kid into a hybrid."

Hope hits Stella's arm. As the witch groans, Hope laughs. "He wanted it! I didn't think it would be a huge deal..."

Stella pauses, an eyebrow raised. "You created a hybrid, Hope. That's a big deal. They're a different species."

Hope hangs her head. "I know. He was just so...miserable."

Stella sighs, leaning against Hope. "I know. Miserable boys are annoying to deal with."

"Not what I meant!" Hope laughs. "Enough about me, tell me about Carter."

Stella's expression goes slack. Pain flickers in her eyes before it is replaced with fake happiness. "She's great."

"Aww," Hope coos, not noticing. "My little cousin is in love."

Stella grins. "Sure am."

—|—|—|—

Freya sits in front of an open spellbook, her hands spread over the pages. She mumbles lost words under her breath as she inhales the lavender scent surrounding her. The map before her burns up into ash, leaving nothing.