She's Mine

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Hope POV-
Josie runs down the stairs with me trailing closely behind her. "Babe, slow down, you're going to fall." I manage to catch her by the waist as we step into the living room. Josie grabs my hand and drags me to the couch where my family has left a spot for us. Kol looks to us, "Took you both long enough. We were wondering what took so long." He winks at Josie who blushes hard even though she knows nothing was going on. Alaric and Caroline both blush too at hearing Kol's comment. Neither one of them wanting to imagine Josie in bed with me. Davina smacks his shoulder.
Nik helps pass out presents guided by Aunt Freya and Keelin. Most of the gifts Nik brings us are addressed to both Josie and me. We receive tons of baby stuff. Matching onesies and stuffed animals, a stroller and high chairs. I am distracted by Marcel and Aunt Bex when I hear Josie in my head. "Babe?" I turn my head to look at Josie. She is holding a small grey box with a small bow. There is a little tag on the box that reads "From: Jo, To: Hope." I take the box from her and untie the bow.
When I pull the lid off, I find a small silver cuff bracelet. It reads "Always and Forever" along the top. I slip it onto my wrist and begin to feel the rhythmic thump thump. "Freya helped me spell it, now you can feel my heartbeat where ever you are. If you get tired of feeling it, you just have to run your finger across the Always and Forever and it will silence it. Run your finger along it again and you'll feel my heartbeat. It is also spelled to adjust to your wolf paw when you transition so you won't ever have to take it off. I'll always be with you." I pull Josie into me only releasing her because I really want to kiss her. "Babe, I love it." I lean in and Josie closes the distance quickly. The thumping from the bracelet increases. "Now, not only can I hear your heart but feel it too, thank you, Jo." I look over at Aunt Freya and mouth "thank you".
Nik rushes over to me with another box. This one I recognize. He hands it to me and I place it in Josie's lap. The tag reads, "From: Hope, To: Jo." Josie picks it up and turns to me smiling. This girl loves Christmas so much. The box is about the same size as the one I received from Josie. She unties the bow and removes the lid. "You did not, Hope." She picks up a set of car keys with a keychain that says "She's Mine" on them. I pull my phone out. "I figured you would want to drive back with me so the car is at home. I open the picture up on my phone and hand it to Josie. "I figured you might want your own car instead of sharing mine with me. You can even blast our playlist. I already have it downloaded in the car." We still listen to the playlist almost every day but over the years we have added more and more songs to it. "I love it, you are the best, Hope. Thank you." I get pulled in for another hug.
Josie POV-
Hope and I sit back and watch as everyone else finishes opening their gifts. I keep spinning my new car keys around my finger making Hope laugh every time I spin them off my finger. "You haven't even driven the car yet and you are trying to lose the keys." I push myself into her meeting her halfway for another kiss. "It's okay, my wife will make sure I don't lose them." I pull back and wink at Hope before I nuzzle my head into her neck. I will never get tired of calling her my wife.
Dad looks our way and asks Hope, "Did she like it?" I look up at Hope beaming. "Yes, yes she does." I look over to my parents who are talking to each other. They both seem so happy. "How did they know?" Hope turns her head to look at me. "I wanted to make sure you would like the color. I thought it was a nice color but just wanted to check. Lizzie gave approval and twin approval hasn't failed me yet. Also, your parents let me hide it at the school so I could surprise you." A huge smile forms on my face as I roll my eyes. "I like everything you get me, Hope." She pushes her head forward placing our foreheads together. "Good, because you're stuck with me and my gifts."
I sit in Hope's arms the rest of the morning. We all just sit around talking about what we got and about future plans. "So, Hope and Josie, have you come up with any baby names yet?" Rebecca turns to us. Hope looks at me giving me the option to tell them or to wait. "You will get to find out when they are born. No one knows, only us. We want it to be a surprise." Rebecca makes the same fake pouty face that Hope gives me a lot but Rebecca nods her head. "Fine, fine. We will just have to suffer through not knowing." All of us laugh. "Soon enough." Hope adds.
Most of Hope's family and mine head into the kitchen to help prepare the Christmas Day dinner. I nudge Hope's side. "Have you run since the first night we got here?" She shakes her head no. "How about we head to the bayou and you can run some? I can just wait for you at the dock or I can stay here. Whatever will make you most comfortable." Hope interlocks our hands and keeps her eyes on them not commenting and avoiding my eye contact. "Hope," she glances my way before looking back down at our hands so I ask in my head. "What is that beautiful head of yours thinking about?"
Hope lets out a deep breath. No one is in the room but I know she would rather not have this conversation out loud. She always has an easier time opening up to me in her head. "I just don't want to leave your side, Jo. I know that you're okay but as much as I tell myself that, my wolf whines with just the thought of you leaving my sight right now. We already said we don't want to jostle the babies if you want to come with me which means you would have to leave my sight." Right on cue, her wolf lets out a very quiet whine. Hope's eyes flash gold. "You just proved my point that you could use a run, babe." A small laugh escapes my lips.
Hope pulls me into her to hide her face. "You will still be able to feel my heartbeat when you are running, so it'll be okay. Do you want me to come or stay here?" No response. We both sit there for a minute just listening to the banging of pots and pans coming from the kitchen.
Hope's voice cuts through my head. "I would rather you stay here so our families can keep an eye on you if that is alright with you. I'll get over this fear eventually but right now it is still just too fresh in my mind. I'm not trying to be controlling or clingy." I nod my head as Hope pulls her head out from behind me where she was attempting to hide it. I decide to speak out loud this time. "I know, babe. It is okay, now go get a run in before dinner. I will be waiting here for you." I stand up first so Hope can't procrastinate. I extend my hand out towards her. She takes it and we walk to the back door that leads to her car. Hope grabs the keys off the hook and I watch as she leaves only heading inside when I can no longer see her car.