Our Hope • Ava Rose Mikaelson

2. Alive and Kicking

I'm laying in bed and I can't sleep. It's past midnight. I laid there for another half an hour, staring at the ceiling before I got up and made my way to Nik's room. I walked into his room and he wasn't there. I walked into his art room and I saw him standing in front of a canvas, painting. I wrapped my arms around him from behind and place a kiss on his shoulder. He turns around and cups my cheeks as kissed me.

"Not tonight." I told him. "I want to sleep with you. Just sleep."

"Are you okay, love?" Nik asks with concern.

"I'm fine considering everything. I just want to be with you. Is it okay if I stay here with you?"

"Love, we're married. You don't have to ask." Nik says and I smiled. "Of course, you can."

We went back to the room and laid next to each other as he pulls me into his embrace. I tried to keep myself from crying but I did anyway and I cried silently. "I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too, love." He says and I snuggled up next to him to sleep. I almost asleep when he spoke up. "Do you remember that night you died in the Gilbert House?"

"Yeah, why?"

"It was after midnight and I sat there on the floor cradling your body in my arms. Every memory we shared crossed through my mind. Every kiss, every laughter, everything we ever did. And I cried for hours. I cried like a baby. Knowing that I would never hear your laugh again or see you smile or see how would you make some joke to make me laugh as I was painting you or how crazy happy you would get when I came home with a bouquet of roses because you loved them so much. I've been alive a lot longer than we've known each other but imagining a life with you... hurts." Nik says and I looked, wondering where is this coming from. "I love you, Ava. I do. You know that right?"

"I do and I love you too." I said and he smiles softly. "Where is this coming from?"

"I just wanted you to know that I do love you." Nik says and I knew something was off. Before I can ask he continued talking. "Let's sleep."

He put his arms around me and kisses me before I laid my head on his bare chest and I quickly drifted off to sleep.

***

The following morning, Nik had taken me to the Cauldron and we ran into some witches. I had a feast with them here and Nik went somewhere. I just finished taking a bath and I changed into a red dress paired with black heels. It's been a couple of hours since I saw Nik.

I went downstairs and walked into the courtyard when Elijah comes out of one of the studies. "What is this?" He asks as he looks at one of the dead bodies I left earlier.

"Witches." I answered, not caring what he was going to say. "Have you seen Nik?"

"No. Not in a while." Elijah says and we both look at each other, worriedly.

Suddenly, I hear multiple footsteps and I took to see Nik carrying someone over his shoulders and Ileana walking behind him. How did he find her? And who is that person he's carrying? Nik flips the person off his shoulders and onto the couch. I realized it's Stefan.

"What the hell did you do?" I asked Nik, trying to hold my temper but I couldn't.

"I found your brother in Georgia with his little girlfriend and Ileana. I told your brother to come with me. He didn't want to and it resorted to this." Nik says, gesturing at Stefan, who's neck is snapped.

How did Ileana know Stefan? Or how did Stefan know Ileana?

Stefan wakes up gasping for air and he looks around when his eyes meet mines. He slowly gets off the couch and we stared at each other like we having a stare-off. He instantly wraps his arms around me and I did too. He started crying which made me cry and I hugged him tightly.