Whenever You're Ready

Chapter 1

"I'm going to bed now! Goodnight!" Hope yells down the hall to bid her parents an early goodnight. Something she's been doing more often as of late.

Without much suspicion, Hayley calls back from the kitchen, "Don't stay up too late reading again!"

"I won't!" Hope peers over the railing of the staircase one last time checking to see if her parents are watching before running up to her bedroom.

The auburn haired girl scurries into her room quickly locking the door behind her. She spends a few minutes tidying up around her and when she finally sits down on her newly made bed to anxiously watch the clock on the wall, waiting for the big hand to reach the 9.

Each minute that passes feels like an hour of impatient waiting. After what feels like the longest ten minutes the clock finally reads 9 pm and Hope excitedly turns her head to her window. She attentively stares out onto the mini balcony but there's nothing, to be exact, no one there.

The brows on Hope's forehead form a frown as she slowly gets up from her bed and approaches the vacant window. Usually this time every night for the past two weeks her favorite blonde would climb through those windows at exactly 9 pm but apparently not today.

Hoping that if she gives the girl an extra few minutes she'll arrive, Hope sits down on her window bench and wait. First five minutes pass, then ten, finally, Hope checks the clock once more to find that it's already 9:30.

Letting out a disappointed sigh she gets up and drags her feet across the bedroom floor to her bed. Just then, she hears a creak coming from behind her.

Hope's body whips around, a giant grin forming on her face at the sight of her girlfriend's blonde head of hair peering through the now open window.

Lizzie climbs through the opening and straightens herself up now only inches away from Hope. Without hesitation, Hope pulls the taller girl down locking lips. Their bodies move in sync towards Hope's bed which Hope falls into with Lizzie now hovering over her body.

"I'm sorry I was late. My mom had more questions than usual and Josie needed help with something and—" The girl is abruptly interrupted by Hope's lips on hers once again. "Shhh, you don't have to apologize. You're here now." Hope mumbles against her girlfriend's lips.

After minutes pass and the two girls share a few more heated kisses, Lizzie falls next to Hope in the bed.

"I missed you," Hope says as she shifts her body to face Lizzie. She casually drapes her arm over the other girl's waist, motion familiar and driven by habit, and Lizzie presses closer. "Yeah?" the corner of Lizzie's lips rise at her girlfriend's adorably lovestruck face, "I literally just saw you at school." Hope makes a face at her before responding. "Sure, but that was forever ago," she draws out the words, leaning into Lizzie's embrace, and Lizzie chuckles. "Wow, who knew Hope Mikaelson was this needy." The words are teasing, and she laughs again when they cause the bridge of Hope's nose to crinkle.

Suddenly there's a knock at the door. Lizzie's brows shoot up when she feels her body falling off the bed landing with a mild thump.

"Hope? Is everything okay in there? Why is the door locked?" The thickly accented voice of her father echoes through the door. Hope's eyes dart to the doorknob that starts to rattle.

Rushing out of bed, Hope runs over to her door unlocking it and pulling it open just a crack. She's met by a suspicious set of eyes.

"Hey dad, everything's fine." Hope sticks her head out the door to prevent her dad from looking in. "I must've accidentally locked the door when I closed it earlier. Sorry about that."

Klaus gazes past his daughter's head and back at her. He opens his mouth to say something when he's interrupted by Hayley.

"Klaus, stop interrogating our daughter and let's go to bed." Klaus turns around and gives Hayley a look before looking back at Hope with skepticism.

Hope's heartbeat starts to pick up to the point that if her dad had supernatural hearing he'd probably realize she as hiding something.

"Don't forget to close the window before you sleep. There's a storm coming tonight." That's the last thing Klaus says before he walks away to join Hayley in their bedroom.

Hope closes the door behind him, locking it once more. Now a bit more relaxed, Hope climbs onto her bed and peers over the edge.

"Coast is clear Liz," Lizzie's head pops up from the ground.

"Did you really have to push me off the bed?" Lizzie sits up, propping her arms on the edge of the bed and huffing.

"I'm sorry," Hope winces apologetically, "I panicked."

Hope offers her hand to the girl sitting on the floor. When Lizzie takes it she pulls her back into her bed rolling over to make space for her girlfriend.

"We can't keep doing this Hope," Lizzie gently places a hand on the nape of Hope's neck, worriedly staring into her bright blue eyes. "This is already the second time this week." A heavy sigh leaves Lizzie's body.

"I know, and I'm sorry babe," Hope's eyes dart around the blonde's face, searching for another way to apologize. She starts to run her fingers up and down her girlfriend's side, slowly tracing her figure.

"You know my dad, he'd freak if he knew I was dating someone new," Hope places a gentle kiss on the tip of Lizzie's nose.

"Remember what happened the last time I went on a date with someone?" A quiet laugh escapes Lizzie's lips at the old memory.

"Poor Landon Kirby, I'm pretty sure he's still terrified to step foot into this house." The pillow under Lizzie's head rustles as she shakes her head.

Hope rolls onto her back looking up to stare at her empty ceiling.

Her father would do anything to protect her but sometimes that also entailed him being too overprotective when it came to romantic interests. The last thing Hope needed was him to grill Lizzie only to scare her away as well.

Hope's attention is drawn back to reality when she feels Lizzie's warm lips against her cheek.

"We can tell your parents whenever you're ready," Both bodies shift once more to face each other, but this time with closer proximity than before. "I just hate deceiving your parents. It's not the best way to get on your overprotective girlfriend's parents' good side." Lizzie lets out a light laugh at the mouthful of words.

A genuine smile starts to grow on Hope's face. She leans in closing the gap between them, slowly moving her lips against Lizzie's. "Thank you," Hope softly breathes out before reconnecting their lips again.