My Expiration Date Is Why I Can't Let You Love Me - Hosie

Chapter Twenty Eight

TW: Alaric

After hours of running around and doing things around the school for Lizzie, Josie went into the dinning hall for a late lunch. Placing her lunch tray away, Josie felt arms wrap around her, she jumped at the contact startled by the sudden touch.

Josie pulled away and turned around to see that it was Hope that startled her, so many thoughts rushed through her head about who she was speaking to on the phone and why she lied. Lizzie had been going on about it for hours, and these questions were now stuck in Josie's mind. "Oh Hope, it's you. You startled me", Josie exclaimed awkwardly, not looking directly at the tribrid. Hope raised her eyebrows she was confused as to why Josie was acting so weird.

MG had entered the dinning hall "Jo it's time to go", he said as he signalled Josie to follow him. "Coming!" Josie said walking over to him. Until suddenly she was drawn back by her wrist,"Hope?!" Josie uttered. "Where are you off too?" Hope questioned. "MG is taking me to the hospital to see my dad... why?", Josie said finally looking at Hope. "I'm just curious love, you're acting weird. Did I do something wrong?" Hope asked worry clear in her voice.

"Jo I'll met you at the car", MG said to Josie, Hope raised her eyebrows at this. "I'm not acting weird. And yes you did do something wrong. I'm just trying to figure out why you did it in the first place. Lizzie jumped to conclusions like Lizzie does, and I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt like I always do. But I still have Lizzie in my head telling me otherwise", Josie exclaimed. "What is it Jo? Tell me, what did I do?" Hope desperately needed an answer, she doesn't want to fuck this up with Josie, she's waited long enough.

"Your phone call. You lied about it. Who we're you on the phone with Hope?" Josie said sounding like a jealous possessive girlfriend. Hope bursted out laughing, "I thought I seriously did something wrong." Josie scoffed, "Are you seriously laughing right now. Whatever Hope I have to go. I don't have time for this." Josie said frustrated, about to walk away when Hope's voice stopped her.

"It was supposed to be a surprise but... I don't want to start of this relationship lying to you Josette." Josie raised her eyebrows wanting Hope to continue. "It's for our date tonight, and that's all I'm going to say. I want to keep as much of it as a surprise for you." Hope said with the most genuine smile on her face. "Hopeyyy now I feel bad", Josie buried her face in her palms, with a huge smile on her face she's never had a surprise anything before, let alone a surprise date. Hope pulled Josie's hands away from her face and brought her into a hug. "Don't. I shouldn't have lied to you in the first place. I'm sorry." Hope apologised, giving Josie a kiss on her forehead. "I'll forgive you this once", Josie joked.

"Why are you so smiley?" Hope asked. "I don't think anyone has ever given me... well tried to give me a surprise anything... let alone a date", Josie said joyfully with a big goofy smile. This made Hope's heart ache as she asked herself, 'how has no one ever surprised Josie with anything, she deserves all the surprises in the world'. "Well I'm happy to be your first Josette Saltzman", Hope said bringing Josie into a kiss before Josie left to go see her father.

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Now at the hospital Josie was feeling all kinds of things, she wanted to get to the bottom of what happened with Finch and why her father killed her... if he killed her. Walking into Alaric's hospital room, MG decided he would wait outside and let Josie have some time alone with her father.

"Josette! It has been too long. You've had your old man all worried." Alaric said smiling at his daughters presence. "Hey dad. It has, but I should be the one worried you're in a hospital bed right now", Josie said pointing at her fathers condition. "Well I'm just doing what the doctor tells me is best. How's the school? Lizzie hasn't burnt it down yet has she?" Alaric sorta joked, Josie chuckled. "The schools good, Lizzie is doing an amazing job. Everyone is helping out as much as they can", Josie praised her sister. "That's good. I'm proud." Josie sat on the end of Alaric's bed.

"Why don't you want vampire blood dad? What happened with Finch?" Tears began pooling in Alaric's eyes, Josie didn't want to be right but in this moment she fears she is. "It was an accident Jo. I was only supposed to injure her not kill her. Please understand Jo", Alaric pleaded. Josie got up from the end of the bed, and stood in front of her father. "What happened dad? Tell me everything!" Josie demanded almost yelling at her father.

"Her and Hope... Finch and Hope were in this fight. I heard about it from Lizzie that it was all over you. Hope has a crush on you. Finch knew she didn't care, but that's not all Finch knew...", Alaric started. "What do you mean dad? What else did Finch know?" Josie pleaded for the truth. "Finch knows... knew how to kill Hope. She knew how to kill The Tribrid. I couldn't let that happen. Hope needs to live. She's so powerful. She can help protect you and your sister, especially from the merge. Maybe she can help, maybe she can stop it completely. That's what I'm hoping for."

Josie got mad suddenly, "WHAT! Hope isn't just some weapon or protector of Lizzie and I! She's a person with feelings! Is that seriously how you see her!?"

"Josie I'm sorry, but it is. It's how I've always seen her. That's the only reason why I even enrolled her into the school", tears started streaming down Josie's face. "Continue", Josie demanded with a broken voice. "Well she knew how to kill Hope, and once I found out I burnt down the tree that could end her. Red oak. The tree your sister and yourself made with Hope, before she transitioned. I was supposed to talk to Finch about her plans by capturing her after she was injured, but I accidentally killed her. I guess that was just a plus to my plan", Alaric chuckled.

"Do you seriously find this amusing you killed someone, you killed a good person." Josie's voice was broken, she was devastated to find out that her father killed not only her ex, but a student, at the school he opened to help supernatural beings. "I understand what I did was wrong that's why I don't want to heal. But I did it to protect my daughters. Hope can protect use both now. Nothing is stopping her."

"NO! IM NOT YOUR DAUGHTER ANYMORE! HOW DARE YOU NOT ONLY KILL SOMEONE, BUT USE HOPE LIKE THIS. YOU ONLY HAVE ONE DAUGHTER AND THAT IS IF SHE EVEN WANTS TO BE YOURS ANYMORE!" Josie yelled, then stormed out of her father's hospital room with tears streaming out of her eyes and down her face.