RIPTIDE ▹ THE ORIGINALS

eleven; werewolves, checkups, arrows, oh my!

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Another day, another mindbogglingly obtuse scene to wake up to for young River Marshall. Her hands rubbed at her foggy eyes as she padded down the stairs and into the living area, catching the eyes of three women - one of which she had never seen before. The teen saw the reassuring eyes of Hayley - and, surprisingly, Rebekah - and let a soft half-smile overtake her features. 

"I told you Agnes, I feel great!" a nonchalant Hayley enthused as she flipped through a book that she had most likely plucked from the Mikaelsons' extensive literature collection. It was practically heaven on Earth in that house. River could only assume that it was because of the currently M.I.A Mikaelson, Elijah. Though she hadn't met him yet, River liked to assume that they would be good friends. If Hayley liked him, then her younger counterpart surely would as well. 

"Huh?" River murmured, eyes still squinting from having just woken up. She took a seat beside her sister, leaning her head on Hayley's receptive shoulder. "I can make you a smoothie if you don't feel well - it has protein and vegetables and stuff. Babies can eat that, right? Rebekah, you want one, too?"

The blonde original snickered, shooting the girl a grin as she took a moment to glance up from her laptop. The mystery 'Agnes' woman, however, didn't seem amused. 

"You are overdue for a checkup."

"What am I gonna do? Pop into the Quarter for a quick ultrasound? A pregnant werewolf escorted by a witch - nothing to see here!" Hayley quipped, her eyebrows raising in a show of disbelief. 

"But Hayls, how else is the baby going to be checked out? I don't know if regular . . . 'baby doctors' are cut out for this kind of thing. Maybe it's a good idea?" the brunette teen meekly asked, shifting on the couch so that her legs were crossed and angled toward her sister. "Hey - even better idea - I can go with you!"

Rebekah subtly diverted her attention from her laptop again, and let a finely plucked brow raise at the sight of River looking at her older sister like she was the sun that her world revolved around. It was . . . undeniably sweet. 

"You know, a lot of women would kill to have a child. It strikes me as odd that you're not taking better care of yours," the blonde said, her words wearing a tone that made River glance over at the blonde. The teen couldn't describe it (she never was good at the whole 'emotional intelligence' thing she learned about in health class), but it made her heart thump twice in her chest. 

"I know a doctor out in the bayou. Off the beaten path. Now, I took the liberty of making an appointment for you. Tonight, after-hours, just us. Vampires will never get word of it," Agnes promised and River, though still batting away the tendrils of sleep, found herself biting her lip. She didn't quite know whether to trust this strange new woman, seeing that she had just gotten her big sister back; she didn't want to just let her walk off again. 

"Okay, fine. Bayou-baby-doctor it is," Hayley responded.

Agnes nodded, looking very pleased, and excused herself out of the house. Before River could open her mouth to speak, a low growl emanated from Hayley's ever-so-swollen stomach. "Hey, I'm gonna go make some breakfast. You want anything, Riv?"

"Yeah, yeah, you go. I'll be there in a minute," the teen replied, letting her back fall against the armrest of the couch as her sister stood up. 

"Alright, slowpoke. I'll make waffles," Hayley stated, playfully nudging her sister on the shoulder. 

River smiled, but as soon as her sister was out of sight, let a sigh fall from her deflated lips. "I can't eat gluten," the girl murmured, falling on deaf ears. It made her realize just how much had changed since the two were separated. Even something as monumentally insignificant as developing a gluten intolerance during adolescence exacerbated that feeling. Yes, River was so incredibly thankful to be with her big sister again, but it was juvenile to think that nothing had changed.