Square one

Hayley Marshall (part I)

Hope's POV:

This is a really stupid plan. God, why did I ask Ms. Fernandez to help me? This is going to end badly. She's only just become my girlfriend, and I'm doing this? I want to. This is for me. It's going to be ok. I'm going to be ok. Breathe. Think of her.

Gorgeous, intuitive

Tough as nails, 

Ever so protective.

I was her Little Wolf, 

She was my rock. 

Always and forever,

to her, love was unconditional,

there was no however. 

Our family, most untraditional.

Her bright earthy eyes,

her stern, loving gaze,

no one could despise,

never ceasing to amaze.

The abundance of love,

flowing through her,

the sheer joy she brought,

no where else shall be found. 

I step into Rousseau's, asking for a carafe of iced tea, also grabbing the finest bottle of bourbon, smiling at Declan, "For her. I miss her." He nods, letting me go, and I step outside to find Josie, eyeing the bottle of alcohol in my hand, and the tea in the other. She picks up the basket I left with her, and we start to head back towards the Bentley. Once we both get back into the car, she finally pipes up, asking me what the alcohol was for. "You'll have to wait and see, won't you?" She nods, biting her lip all cute and adorable. I step on the gas, making our way just outside New Orleans, to the wetlands, headed for the Bayou. I brake sharply, pulling us to a stop, gulping, before flashing a small smile, "W-We're here. Welcome to the Bayou." Josie smiles, looking at me, "Oh, Hope! It's wonderful." I smile, giving her a quick peck, before placing the bottle and carafe in the basket, lugging the heavy thing out of the car. I bring her to the dock. I pull out the table cloth, then set out two plate, pulling out a quiche, and a shit ton of beignets. 

Josie's POV:

I can tell this place has a deep significance to her. She brings me to this little dock, setting the picnic for us both. She sits a moment before pulling out glasses and the carafe of tea. She pours out the sweet beverage, before cutting into the quiche and serving me some. We talk a bit, with playful banter, and I notice that Hope's eyes shine gold half way through a sentence. "... Hey Hope? It's been a while since you last turned, right? Do you want to turn? I promise that you won't hurt me." After a bit of consideration, she nods, stripping down in front of me, "You sure this wasn't so you could see me naked? You know you can just ask, right?" She chuckles, before relaxing and letting go, bones cracking and breaking, making me shudder, closing my eyes tight. When I open them again, I see a majestic little silver wolf, one I know quite well. Hope runs off, going through the Bayou, blowing off steam, returning to me twenty minutes later with her tongue hanging out her mouth like a dog. She pads toward me, and catches me off guard, launching herself at me, her wolf pinning me, laying on top of me. I let her lay on top of me, giving her a belly rub, smiling, as she kind of falls asleep, transitioning back into a human, her naked body draped over me. She's pressed up against me for a while, my breathing hitching, while I can't do shit about it. She starts to stir, groaning and holding me close, pressing her face in my chest, her eyes opening wide. "Oh shit. Sorry Jo." She scrambles to her feet, getting her clothes, the sky turning a shade of pink, close to sunset. She takes my hand. "I want to share something with you..."

Hope's POV:

I take her hand, telling her I wish to share something with her. I'm nervous right now, slowly guiding her to an oak tree, the oak tree. There, was the name Hayley Marshall carved deep in the bark. I smile at it, running my fingers across the etches in the bark I made every time I visited the bayou on breaks. Jo looks at me sadly, kissing my cheek, holding my hand, our fingers entwined. I pull a pocket knife from my back pocket, carving the name a bit deeper, before retreating to grab the bottle of bourbon. "I do this when I miss her. I come to see her." I whisper, opening the bottle and pouring it out on the earth below, just in front of the tree. "I pour it out for her. Then I'd maybe sit and talk a bit, tell her stories. Her send off was on the dock over there... but I wanted to do something different this time. Ms. Fernandez put the Prism in the basket, so that I could in a way communicate with my mum for a bit. I want you to meet her. Is that ok?"

Josie's POV:

"That's more than ok, Hope Andrea Mikaelson." I lean in cupping her face, giving her a kiss, kissing her over and over, small kisses, wiping the single tear running down her cheek.